noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/njuːm/
General-American:/n(j)um/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -uːm
1
noun
Meaning 1
Any of a set of signs used in early musical notation.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
A sequence of notes to be sung to one syllable.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
History
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.
Across languages
Translations
10 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Finnish:
neumi
— sign used in early musical notation
French:
neume
— sign used in early musical notation
German:
Neume
— sign used in early musical notation
Hungarian:
neuma
— sign used in early musical notation
Italian:
neuma
— sign used in early musical notation
Polish:
neuma
— sign used in early musical notation
Portuguese:
neuma
— sign used in early musical notation
Russian:
не́вма
(névma)
— sign used in early musical notation
Serbo-Croatian:
nèuma
— sign used in early musical notation
Serbo-Croatian:
нѐума
— sign used in early musical notation