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Webster 1913 Edition

Fugue

Fugue

,
Noun.
[F., fr. It.
fuga
, fr. L.
fuga
a fleeing, flight, akin to
fugere
to fiee. See
Fugitive
.]
(Mus.)
A polyphonic composition, developed from a given theme or themes, according to strict contrapuntal rules. The theme is first given out by one voice or part, and then, while that pursues its way, it is repeated by another at the interval of a fifth or fourth, and so on, until all the parts have answered one by one, continuing their several melodies and interweaving them in one complex progressive whole, in which the theme is often lost and reappears.
All parts of the scheme are eternally chasing each other, like the parts of a
fugue
.
Jer. Taylor.

Webster 1828 Edition

Fugue

FUGUE

,
Noun.
[L. fuga.]
In music, a chase or succession in the parts; that which expresses the capital thought or sentiment of the piece, in causing it to pass successively and alternately from one part to another.

Definition 2024

fugue

fugue

See also: fugué

English

Noun

fugue ‎(plural fugues)

  1. (music) A contrapuntal piece of music wherein a particular melody is played in a number of voices, each voice introduced in turn by playing the melody.
  2. Anything in literature, poetry, film, painting, etc., that resembles a fugue in structure or in its elaborate complexity and formality.
  3. the condition of being in a fugue state

Derived terms

Translations

Related terms

See also

French

Pronunciation

Verb

fugue

  1. first-person singular present indicative of fuguer
  2. third-person singular present indicative of fuguer
  3. first-person singular present subjunctive of fuguer
  4. first-person singular present subjunctive of fuguer
  5. second-person singular imperative of fuguer

Noun

fugue f ‎(plural fugues)

  1. (informal) running away (from a place where one was staying)
  2. (music) fugue

Synonyms

  • (running away): fuite : flight, fleeing

Spanish

Verb

fugue

  1. First-person singular (yo) present subjunctive form of fugar.
  2. Formal second-person singular (usted) present subjunctive form of fugar.
  3. Third-person singular (él, ella, also used with usted?) present subjunctive form of fugar.

Etymology

Borrowing from French fugue, from Italian fuga ‎(“flight, ardor”), from Latin fuga ‎(“act of fleeing”), from fugere ‎(“to flee”); compare Ancient Greek φυγή ‎(phugḗ). Apparently from the metaphor that the first part starts alone on its course, and is pursued by later parts.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈfjuːɡ/
  • Rhymes: -uːɡ

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