any of various polyphonic instrumental compositions of the 16th and 17th cent.
: also ˌricerˈcare (ˌritʃərˈkɑrə; Italian ˌ ʀitʃɛʀˈkɑʀɛ)Word forms: pluralˌricerˈcari (ˌritʃərˈkɑri; Italian ˌʀitʃɛʀˈkɑʀi)
ricercar in American English
(ˌritʃərˈkɑːr)
noun
1. Music
a chiefly polyphonic instrumental form of the 16th and 17th centuries closely resembling thevocal motet in structure and style
2.
a composition, esp. for a keyboard instrument, having this form
Also: ricercare, ricercata
Word origin
[1780–90; apocopated var. of ricercare]This word is first recorded in the period 1780–90. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: carbon, classification, dynamics, fluff, rosette