neume

Meanings

1. Any of a set of signs used in early musical notation.
2. A sequence of notes to be sung to one syllable.

Etymology

From 15th c. Middle English newme, nevme, neme; from Middle French neume, in turn from Medieval Latin neuma or pneuma, either from Ancient Greek νεῦμα (neûma, “sign”), or else a corruption of πνεῦμα (pneûma, “breath”). In the latter case a doublet of pneuma.