semitone

noun

semi·tone | \ˈse-mē-ˌtōn,

ˈse-ˌmī-, -mi-\

Definition of semitone

: the tone at a half step also : half step

Other Words from semitone Get Musical With the Definition of Semitone Learn More about semitone

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Other Words from semitone

semitonic \ ˌse-mē-ˈtä-nik ,

ˌse-ˌmī-, -mi- \ adjective

semitonically \ ˌse-mē-ˈtä-ni-k(ə-)lē ,

ˌse-ˌmī-, -mi- \ adverb

Get Musical With the Definition of Semitone

A semitone (sometimes called a half tone or a half step) is the distance from a white key to a neighboring black key on the piano keyboard—for example, from G to G-sharp or from E to E-flat. In an octave (from G to the next G above, for instance), there are twelve semitones. Semitones are the smallest intervals that are used intentionally in almost any of the music you'll normally hear. Two semitones equal a whole tone—the distance from G up to A or from E down to D, for example.