the combination of two or more independent melodies into a single harmonic texture
one or more independent melodies added above or below a given melody
the use of contrast or interplay of elements in a work of art
a complementing or contrasting idea
[early French contrepoint from medieval Latin contrapunctum or cantus contrapunctus song pricked or marked against (the original melody), from contra- + punctus point, musical note, from Latin pungere to prick; the notes of the second melody being marked against or underneath the notes of the original]