tonality

noun

to·​nal·​i·​ty tō-ˈna-lə-tē 

plural tonalities

1

: tonal quality

2

a

: key sense 5

b

: the organization of all the tones and harmonies of a piece of music in relation to a tonic

3

: the arrangement or interrelation of the tones of a work of visual art

Examples of tonality in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

That tonality is hard to replicate. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 8 Sep. 2025

To add a bit of edge to tonality, consider opting for knee-high boots in snake print. — Frances Solá-Santiago, InStyle, 3 Jan. 2026

There is a tonality, a consistent theme that was weaved throughout the Miami Dolphins first draft of this new regime. — Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2026

The fake audio had imitated the boss’s voice, tonality, punctuation, and even the German accent. — IEEE Spectrum, 11 Mar. 2021

Word History

Etymology

probably borrowed from French tonalité, from tonal tonal + -ité -ity

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for tonality

• banality
• bestiality
• brutality
• carnality
• centrality
• chirality
• duality
• fatality
• finality
• formality
• frugality
• legality

Kids Definition

tonality

noun

to·​nal·​i·​ty tō-ˈnal-ət-ē 

plural tonalities

: the character of a piece of music based on its key or on the relation of its tones and chords to a particular keynote