Usually the term is restricted to sacred or polyphonic music, excluding the secular monophonic song of the troubadours, and trouvères; however sometimes the term is used more loosely to mean all European music of the thirteenth century, and slightly before.
Usually the term is restricted to sacred (church) or polyphonic music, excluding the secular (non-religious) monophonic songs of the troubadours, and trouvères. However sometimes the term "ars antiqua" is used more loosely to mean all European music of the thirteenth century, and from slightly before.