ricercar

R1I1C3E1R1C3A1R1
/ˌɹiːt͡ʃə(ɹ)ˈkɑː(ɹ)/

noun

An instrumental musical composition, fugal in style but in a more serious character and with longer notes.

OriginItalian ricercare ← Latin re- ← Proto-Italic *wre- →
Scrabble 12
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Meanings

nounricercar (plural ricercars)

plural ricercars · alternative ricercare

  1. An instrumental musical composition, fugal in style but in a more serious character and with longer notes.

Origin

  1. Proto-Italic*wre-
  2. Latinre-
  3. Italianri-
  4. Italiancercare
  5. Italianricercare
  6. Englishricercar

Borrowed from Italian ricercare.

More words from Italian

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

ricercar. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ricercar

MLA

“ricercar.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ricercar. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “ricercar,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/ricercar.

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