noun ·Moderate ·College level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   The system of seven tones built on a tonic key; the 24 major and minor scales. countable, uncountable
2. 2
   any of 24 major or minor diatonic scales that provide the tonal framework for a piece of music wordnet
3. 3
   A sound of specific pitch and quality; timbre. countable, uncountable
4. 4
   The quality of all the tones in a composition heard in relation to the tonic. countable, uncountable
5. 5
   The interrelation of the tones in a painting. countable, uncountable

Synonyms

All synonyms

keyarc lightingblack and whitechiaroscuroclang colorclassical pitch

Antonyms

All antonyms

atonality

Etymology

From French tonalité.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.