Motet
/məʊˈtɛt/noun
A polyphonic vocal composition, usually sacred, especially one from the medieval or Renaissance period.
Did you know?Medieval motets could combine several simultaneous texts—sometimes sacred and secular—in different languages, turning polyphony into a kind of elaborate musical wordplay.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Romance / Latin
Latin
muttum
“A grunt, murmured sound, or inarticulate utterance; the probable source of later words for “word” and “mutter.””
Medieval Latin
Medieval Latin
motetus
“A musical composition or texted vocal piece, formed from Old French mot with a diminutive ending.”
13th Century
Old French
motet
“A “little word”; the term came to denote a vocal composition built around a text.”
14th Century
Middle English
motet
“A polyphonic song or composition, commonly associated with ecclesiastical music.”
Modern English
English
motet
“A usually sacred polyphonic vocal composition, especially one associated with medieval, Renaissance, or later choral music.”