Language Analysis Terms

noun a melody or counterpoint sung above the plainsong of the tenor

verb to sing or play a descant

• The descant in the choir added a beautiful layer of harmony to the music.
• The descant part in the song is really fun to sing along to.
• I love when the descant kicks in during the chorus, it gives me chills.
• Her words seemed to descant upon the very essence of truth.

noun the practice of compiling dictionaries

• The study of lexicography involves analyzing the structure and usage of words in a language.
• Lexicography is all about dictionaries and words.
• I never knew lexicography was a thing until I took that linguistics class.
• In the world of lexicography, words are like puzzle pieces waiting to be put together.

noun the general meaning or direction of something

• The tenor of the meeting was focused on finding a solution to the budget deficit.
• I'm not sure about the tenor of his message, it seemed a bit unclear.
• The tenor of the party last night was off the charts!
• The tenor of her voice carried a sense of authority and confidence.