: of, relating to, or being serial music utilizing the 12 chromatic tones

Examples of twelve-tone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The First Quartet precedes Schoenberg’s break from tonality; the Third is from his twelve-tone period. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'twelve-tone.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1926, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of twelve-tone was in 1926

Dictionary Entries Near twelve-tone

Cite this Entry

“Twelve-tone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/twelve-tone. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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