microtone

1 of 2

noun (1)

mi·​cro·​tone ˈmī-krə-ˌtōn 

: a musical interval smaller than a halftone

microtonal

ˌmī-krə-ˈtō-nᵊl 

adjective

microtonality

ˌmī-krə-tō-ˈna-lə-tē 

noun

microtonally

ˌmī-krə-ˈtō-nᵊl-ē 

adverb

microtonality

2 of 2

noun (2)

mi·​cro·​to·​nal·​i·​ty -tōˈnalətē 

: the quality or state of being microtonal

Examples of microtone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The relationship that forms between the two seemingly antithetical women covers vast psychological terrain, from admiration to envy, love to revulsion, mapped in every twitch of the head and microtone. — Mallika Rao, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2021

The electronic music of the shopping mall gave way to spartan strains of Arabic music with its tangy microtones. — David Patrick Stearns, Philly.com, 15 June 2018

And there’s a lot of mystery in those 'between' notes, the microtones. — David Lindquist, Indianapolis Star, 14 July 2017

He was often treated as an outsider artist for his protean interests, which included Indonesian gamelans, Esperanto and microtones. — Carolina A. Miranda, latimes.com, 19 May 2017

Players were often asked to abandon the standard twelve pitches: glissandos, microtones, whistling harmonics, and other breathy noises proliferated. — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2017

Word History

Etymology

Noun (2)

microtonal + -ity

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1914, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for microtone

• acetone
• anglophone
• baritone
• bourguignon
• buspirone
• chaperon
• chaperone
• cobblestone
• collarbone
• cornerstone
• cortisone
• dictaphone