Word Study
nocturne
CIDE DICTIONARY
nocturne, n. [F. See Nocturn.].
A night piece, or serenade. The name is now used for a certain graceful and expressive form of instrumental composition, as the nocturne for orchestra in Mendelsohn's “Midsummer-Night's Dream” music. [1913 Webster]
OXFORD DICTIONARY
nocturne, n.
1 Mus. a short composition of a romantic nature, usu. for piano.
2 a picture of a night scene.
1 Mus. a short composition of a romantic nature, usu. for piano.
2 a picture of a night scene.
Etymology
F (as NOCTURN)
THESAURUS
nocturne
Nachtmusik, absolute music, adaptation, air varie, aleatory, aleatory music, arrangement, chamber music, chamber orchestra, composition, descant, electronic music, etude, exercise, harmonization, incidental music, instrumental music, invention, opus, orchestration, piece, production, program music, ricercar, score, sonata, sonatina, string orchestra, string quartet, study, theme and variations, trio, variation, workFor further exploring for "nocturne" in Webster Dictionary Online