Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
dictionary thesaurus

altered chord

noun

Definition of altered chord

: a chord (such as the augmented sixth chord) with one or more notes that are foreign to the prevailing key : a chord having one or more notes chromatically altered by an accidental

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

First Known Use of altered chord

1847, in the meaning defined above

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about altered chord

Share altered chord

Statistics for altered chord

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for altered chord

The first known use of altered chord was in 1847

See more words from the same year

Comments on altered chord

What made you want to look up altered chord? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

Show Comments  Hide Comments 

WORD OF THE DAY

substantive

important, real, or meaningful

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

Homophone Quiz

  • three-bears-two-of-them-look-like-theyre-whispering-to-a-third-bear-who-looks-chuffed-to-be-the-center-of-attention
  • In order to judge how people felt, the senator's office hired a firm to take a ______.
Name That Thing

Test your visual vocabulary with our 10-question challenge!

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games