Tonal: meaning, definitions and examples

๐ŸŽถ
Add to dictionary

tonal

 

[ หˆtoสŠnษ™l ]

Adjective
Context #1 | Adjective

sound qualities

The term 'tonal' relates to the tone of a sound, especially in regard to music and speech. It can refer to the quality or character of a sound's pitch, as well as to the system of tones in a language or a musical composition. In linguistic contexts, a tonal language uses pitch to distinguish meaning between words or syllables. In music, 'tonal' typically describes a piece that adheres to a particular key or tonal center.

Synonyms

harmonic, musical, pitch-related

Examples of usage

  • The tonal quality of her voice captivated the audience.
  • This piece is tonal, relying heavily on its key signatures.
  • Chinese is a tonal language, where the meaning changes with pitch.
  • The tonal variations in the music create a rich emotional landscape.

Translations

Translations of the word "tonal" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น tonal

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคธเฅเคตเคฐเคพเคคเฅเคฎเค•

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช tonal

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ tonal

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ั‚ะพะฝะฐะปัŒะฝะธะน

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ tonalny

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ใƒˆใƒผใƒŠใƒซ

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท tonal

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ tonal

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท tonal

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์กฐํ™”๋กœ์šด

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ tonal

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ tonรกlnรญ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ tonรกlny

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ้Ÿณ่ฐƒ็š„

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ tonalen

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ tonal

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ั‚ะพะฝะฐะปะดั‹

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒขแƒแƒœแƒแƒšแƒฃแƒ แƒ˜

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ tonal

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ tonal

Word origin

The word 'tonal' originates from the Late Latin term 'tonalis', which is derived from 'tonus', meaning 'tone'. The usage of the term has evolved through history, reflecting the development of musical theory and linguistics. In music, it began to gain prominence in discussions about harmony and melody around the 19th century. The idea of tone became central to both the analysis of music and the understanding of language, especially with the rise of studies regarding tonal languages. Nowadays, 'tonal' is frequently used in both musical and linguistic contexts, illustrating its dual significance.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #15,517, this word belongs to specialized vocabulary. While not common in everyday speech, it enriches your ability to express complex ideas.