A continuous low note or drone played on a musical instrument as a harmonic background, commonly found in medieval and folk music.
From Old French 'bourdon' and Medieval Latin 'burdo', possibly from Vulgar Latin 'burdus' meaning a base or lower tone, related to the concept of carrying or supporting a melody.
Bagpipes use bordun drones that you hear constantly—that steady hum underneath the melody—and this medieval technique is still the foundation of how many folk instruments worldwide create their hypnotic, layered sound.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.