fugue
n. countablen. a complex piece of music where a short melody is repeated and changed by different instruments. It is common in classical music and often feels very organized and busy.
n. a complex musical composition in which a short melody or phrase is repeated and developed in different voices. Characterized by the interplay of these voices, often resulting in a dense, intricate texture.
The pianist played a beautiful fugue from Bach.
In a fugue, the main theme, called the subject, is introduced and then imitated by each subsequent voice in the ensemble.
The composer's final movement is a masterful fugue, weaving the initial motif through several key changes and rhythmic variations before resolving into a triumphant conclusion.
Borrowed from French fugue, from Italian fuga (“flight, ardor”), from Latin fuga (“act of fleeing”), from fugiō (“to flee”); compare Ancient Greek φυγή (phugḗ). Apparently from the metaphor that the first part starts alone on its course, and is pursued by later parts. Doublet of fuga.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Last updated May 30, 2026