accompaniment
/əˈkʌmp(ə)nɪm(ə)nt
/noun
1A musical part which supports or partners an instrument, voice, or group: she sang to a guitar accompaniment [mass noun]: sonatas for piano with violin accompaniment...
- A couple of minutes later, voices struck up an accompaniment to the drumbeat.
- The range of the custom-tuned baritone guitar means there's a bass accompaniment to the melody, and even the track ‘Ferry Cross the Mersey’ is delicious rather than out of place.
- The earliest piano recordings, prior to 1910, were not very successful; most discs from this time employ the piano as an accompaniment to a vocalist.
Synonyms
backing, support, background, soundtrack, comp;
ripieno, obbligato, organum
1.1A piece of music played as a complement or background to an activity: lush string accompaniments to romantic scenes in films we filed out to the accompaniment of the organ...
- To the accompaniment of some of her favourite hymns and church music, more than 1,000 Yorkshire people gathered to express their gratitude yesterday for the life of the Queen Mother.
- He delivers elegant chamber music accompaniments to this clever film.
- To the accompaniment of vintage jazz records, the train chugs up and down the otherwise closed branch line from Arcady to Flaxfield Junction.
2Something that supplements or complements something else: these biscuits are a lovely accompaniment to tea...
- It was, however, an excellent accompaniment to the delicious Garlic Naan we tried.
- The Pan con Tomate was your standard bread appetizer, but made a delicious accompaniment to the cheese and olives, which are a bit too intense without meatier companion.
- Usually we eat them as a meal on their own with a salad, but they also make a delicious accompaniment to roasted or grilled chicken or pork.
Synonyms
complement, supplement, addition, adjunct, appendage, trimming, companion, accessory
Origin
Early 18th century: from French accompagnement, from accompagner 'accompany'.