Ac*com"pa*ni*ment (#), n. [F. accompagnement.]
That which accompanies; something that attends as a circumstance, or which is added to give greater completeness to the principal thing, or by way of ornament, or for the sake of symmetry
. Specifically:
Mus. A part performed by instruments, accompanying another part or parts performed by voices; the subordinate part, or parts, accompanying the voice or a principal instrument; also, the harmony of a figured bass.
P. Cyc.
© Webster 1913.