contrafactum

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noun

The substitution of one text for another without substantial change to the music.

Scrabble 21
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Meanings

nouncontrafactum (plural contrafacta)

plural contrafacta

  1. entertainmentThe substitution of one text for another without substantial change to the music.
  2. entertainmentThe use of a secular melody with a religious text.

Origin

From Latin. Piecewise doublet of counterfeit.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

contrafactum. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/contrafactum

MLA

“contrafactum.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/contrafactum. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “contrafactum,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/contrafactum.

Source: contrafactum on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.