Tonality: meaning, definitions and examples

๐ŸŽต
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tonality

 

[ tษ™หˆnalษชti ]

Noun
Context #1 | Noun

music

The quality of a sound that is related to its pitch and intensity. In music, tonality refers to the arrangement of pitches and chords in a way that establishes a key center. It provides a sense of stability and resolution in a musical composition.

Synonyms

harmonic structure, pitch quality

Examples of usage

  • The tonality of the piece shifted from minor to major, creating a more uplifting mood.
  • The composer used tonality to convey a sense of tension and release in the music.
Context #2 | Noun

linguistics

The use of pitch patterns in speech to convey meaning or emotion. Tonality in linguistics can refer to the intonation patterns, stress, and rhythm that contribute to the overall meaning of a sentence.

Synonyms

intonation, speech patterns

Examples of usage

  • Her tonality indicated that she was asking a question rather than making a statement.
  • The tonality of his voice suggested that he was upset.

Translations

Translations of the word "tonality" in other languages:

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡น tonalidade

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ณ เคธเฅเคตเคฐ

๐Ÿ‡ฉ๐Ÿ‡ช Tonart

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ฉ nada

๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ั‚ะพะฝะฐะปัŒะฝั–ัั‚ัŒ

๐Ÿ‡ต๐Ÿ‡ฑ tonacja

๐Ÿ‡ฏ๐Ÿ‡ต ้Ÿณ่ชฟ (ใŠใ‚“ใกใ‚‡ใ†)

๐Ÿ‡ซ๐Ÿ‡ท tonalitรฉ

๐Ÿ‡ช๐Ÿ‡ธ tonalidad

๐Ÿ‡น๐Ÿ‡ท tonalite

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ท ์Œ์กฐ

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฆ ู†ุบู…ุฉ

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฟ tonalita

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฐ tonalita

๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ณ ้Ÿณ่ฐƒ (yฤซndiร o)

๐Ÿ‡ธ๐Ÿ‡ฎ tonalnost

๐Ÿ‡ฎ๐Ÿ‡ธ tontegund

๐Ÿ‡ฐ๐Ÿ‡ฟ ั‚ะพะฝ

๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ช แƒขแƒแƒœแƒแƒšแƒแƒ‘แƒ

๐Ÿ‡ฆ๐Ÿ‡ฟ tonallฤฑq

๐Ÿ‡ฒ๐Ÿ‡ฝ tonalidad

Etymology

The word 'tonality' originated from the Latin word 'tonus' meaning 'tone' or 'pitch'. It first appeared in English in the early 18th century, primarily used in music theory to describe the organization of pitches in a musical composition. Over time, the term expanded to include linguistics and the use of pitch patterns in speech. Today, 'tonality' is widely used in both music and language studies to describe the quality of sound and its impact on communication.

See also: intone, monotone, overtone, overtones, ton, toned, toner, tones, toning, undertone, undertones.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #24,974, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.