How many letters does the top answer for “having a melody (as distinguished from recitative)” have?

The most common answer is ariose (6 letters).

Crossword clue: having a melody (as distinguished from recitative)

2 answers found in Letterora's clue database (Wikidata facts, Open Trivia DB, WordNet and Webster definitions — all licensed sources).

ariose 6 letters wn-def

having a melody (as distinguished from recitative)

songlike 8 letters wn-def

having a melody (as distinguished from recitative)