Latin Phrases and Terms Used in Medicine


Most musical terms used in modern sheet music are Italian. 
Interestingly, there is a good number of Latin words that are used in musical terminology. 
Many go as far back as the Middle Ages. This is not a complete list, but someone might find it helpful.


Ad libitum - (performed) at one's will 
Avena - a reed 
Bis - twice 
Breve - "short" 
Chorus - a company of singers, a refrain of a song 
Clausula Primaria or Principalis - the principal close 
Coda - literally "tail" 
Fistual Panis - Pan's flute 
Fistula dulcis - a common flute 
Fistula Germanica - a German flute 
Fluta - flute 
Foramina - holes of a flute or a similar instrument 
Fuga - fugue, a contrapuntal composition in two or more voices 
Genus - "a kind" 
Genus melodiae - "kind of melody" 
Major - "larger", "greater" 
Manu -ductor - "a hand -leader", formerly applied to an individual who led a body of performers by beating time with his hand 
Neumae - divisions or running passages 
Organorum intabulaturae - a term for compositions expressly intended for the organ 
Passiones - Latin for "Passion Music" 
Precentor - leader of a choir 
Quatour - synonymous with quartetto 
Retro - back, backward 
Sub - under 
Tacet - "is silent" 
Tenebrae - a musical service in commemoration of the darkness which attended the crucifixion of Christ 
Tintinnabula - little bells 
Voc acuta - a high voice 
Vox gravis - a low voice