# comes

/ˈkəmz/ (US) · /kˈʌmz/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/comes
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to arrive or move toward

verb · CEFR A1

to move toward a place or to arrive somewhere.

For teachers: the third-person singular present indicative form of 'come', indicating movement toward the speaker or a specified destination.

- The bus comes every ten minutes during the morning rush hour.
- The mail carrier usually comes around noon, though the delivery schedule often fluctuates depending on the volume of seasonal packages.

### 2. a musical answer

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical · Formal

the second part of a musical theme in a specific type of classical music called a fugue.

For teachers: the answer to the theme, or dux, in a fugue, typically appearing at a different pitch level.

- The teacher explained how the comes follows the main theme in the music.
- In the second voice of the fugue, the comes enters a perfect fifth above the initial subject, maintaining the melodic contour while shifting the tonal center.

Usage: Usually used as a countable noun in music theory contexts.

## Examples

- She comes to the office every morning at nine.
- The bus comes every ten minutes, so you do not have to wait very long at the stop.
- As the winter comes, many birds begin their long journey south to find warmer weather and more food.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.