nontonal
adjective
non·ton·al
ˌnän-ˈtō-nᵊl 
Examples of nontonal in a Sentence
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This articulation of speech within a whistle only works for nontonal languages, where the pitch of speech sounds isn’t crucial to the meaning of the word.
—
Bob Holmes, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Aug. 2021
Overall, only one in 30 complex tonal languages flourished in dry areas; one in three nontonal languages cropped up in those same regions.
—Sarah Lewin Frasier, Scientific American, 1 Apr. 2015
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Bob Holmes, Smithsonian Magazine, 24 Aug. 2021
Overall, only one in 30 complex tonal languages flourished in dry areas; one in three nontonal languages cropped up in those same regions.
—Sarah Lewin Frasier, Scientific American, 1 Apr. 2015
Cite this Entry
“Nontonal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nontonal. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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