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

Her soothing tonality pairs so well with Ty’s deeper register. —Mya Abraham, VIBE.com, 3 Sep. 2019

First, the text contains a multiplicity of voices, each with its own tonality, concerns, and characteristic way of seeing the world. —Jonathan Sacks, Foreign Affairs, 1 Nov. 2012

Her lighting in the more abstract battle scenes was going to play a major role of composition, so the lighting and the tonality of it had to be clear. —Kimberly Nordyke, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 June 2024

In that broader context, the substance and tonality of The Post’s coverage is regrettably imbalanced and misleading. —W. Richard West, The Denver Post, 14 June 2024

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

1838, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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