anti-music
|an-ti-mu-sic|
/ˌæn.tiˈmjuː.zɪk/
against music; rejecting musical norms
Etymology
'anti-music' is formed from the prefix 'anti-' (from Greek 'anti-' meaning 'against') + 'music' (from Old French/Latin/Greek).
'music' originates from Greek 'mousikē' (θεωρία/τέχνη of the Muses), passed into Latin as 'musica' and Old French as 'musique', then into Middle English as 'musike' and modern English 'music'. The compound 'anti-music' is a modern English formation using the Greek-derived prefix 'anti-' plus 'music' to mean 'against music'.
Originally the prefix combination simply denoted 'against music' in a literal sense; over time it has also come to label specific artistic practices that intentionally reject conventional musical norms (i.e., it names both an attitude and a style).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a stance, ideology, or movement that is opposed to music as an institution or cultural practice (i.e., opposition to music itself).
The group's manifesto promoted anti-music as a rejection of commercial pop culture.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
a type or style of sound art/composition that deliberately rejects conventional musical elements (tone, harmony, rhythm) — often associated with noise music, dadaist practices, or radical experimental art.
The festival featured several anti-music performances that used industrial noise and found sounds.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 1
describing something that opposes music or deliberately lacks musical qualities; nonmusical or anti-musical.
They created an anti-music piece that prioritized texture and noise over melody.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/08 02:17