Intonation: meaning, definitions and examples

๐ŸŽถ
Add to dictionary

intonation

 

[ หŒษชn.tษ™หˆneษช.สƒษ™n ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

in speech

The rise and fall of the voice in speaking.

Synonyms

accent, cadence, inflection, stress

Examples of usage

  • The teacher explained the importance of intonation in speech.
  • Proper intonation can greatly enhance communication.
  • She noticed his nervousness from his intonation.
  • His intonation suggested he was asking a question.
  • Her intonation indicated she was not pleased.
Context #2 | Noun

music

The rise and fall of the pitch of the voice or of an instrument in music.

Synonyms

harmony, melody, pitch, tuning

Examples of usage

  • The singer's intonation was perfect throughout the performance.
  • The violinist focused on achieving precise intonation.
  • Intonation is crucial for creating harmonious melodies.
  • Her intonation on the piano was exceptional.
  • Improving intonation can transform a musical piece.
Context #3 | Noun

linguistics

The variation of pitch in the spoken language as a feature of the pronunciation of a particular dialect or language.

Synonyms

accent, intonation pattern, speech pattern

Examples of usage

  • Intonation patterns can vary significantly between languages.
  • Linguists study the intonation of different dialects.
  • Understanding intonation is key to mastering a foreign language.
  • The intonation of English differs from that of French.
  • He recognized the regional intonation in her speech.

Translations

Translations of the word "intonation" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น entonaรงรฃo

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคธเฅเคตเคฐ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Intonation

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ intonasi

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ั–ะฝั‚ะพะฝะฐั†ั–ั

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ intonacja

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใ‚คใƒณใƒˆใƒใƒผใ‚ทใƒงใƒณ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท intonation

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ entonaciรณn

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท entonasyon

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์–ต์–‘

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ุชู†ุบูŠู…

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ intonace

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ intonรกcia

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ่ฏญ่ฐƒ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ intonacija

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ hljรณmfall

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ะธะฝั‚ะพะฝะฐั†ะธั

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒ˜แƒœแƒขแƒแƒœแƒแƒชแƒ˜แƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ intonasiya

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ entonaciรณn

Etymology

The word 'intonation' originated from the Latin word 'intonare', meaning 'to sing'. It first appeared in the English language in the early 17th century. Originally used in the context of music, intonation later expanded to include speech and linguistics. The study of intonation plays a crucial role in communication and music, highlighting the importance of pitch variation in conveying meaning and emotions.

See also: intonate.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #16,554, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.