Word-Built World: fugue

fugue

/fyo͞oɡ/

noun: fugue; plural noun: fugues

  1. MUSICcontrapuntal composition in which a short melody or phrase (the subject) is introduced by one part and successively taken up by others and developed by interweaving the parts.
  2. PSYCHIATRY a state or period of loss of awareness of one’s identity, often coupled with flight from one’s usual environment, associated with certain forms of hysteria and epilepsy.

Origin

late 16th century: from French, or from Italian fuga, from Latin fuga ‘flight’, related to fugere ‘flee’.

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