a combining form with the meanings âheight,â âtip end,â âextremities of the body,â used in the formation of compound words: acrophobia. Also, especially before a vowel, acr-. Origin of acro-. < Greek, combining form of Ã¡kros topmost, highest; akin to Latin Äcer sharp.
â¢ CANTUS FIRMUS (noun) The noun CANTUS FIRMUS has 1 sense: 1. a melody used as the basis for a polyphonic composition. Familiarity information: CANTUS FIRMUS used as a noun is very rare. Dictionary entry details.
One contrapuntal line is always composed against another given line. This given voice is called the cantus firmus. This line may be taken from a book of chorales, as Fux suggests, may be provided by a teacher, may be composed by the student him/herself or may be taken from the work of a master.