Did You Know?
The root of "dissonant" is the Latin verb "sonare." Can you guess what "sonare" means? Here's a hint: some related derivatives are "sonata," "supersonic," and "resonance." Does it sound to you as if "sonare" has something to do with sound? If so, you're right. In fact, "sonare" means "to sound," is related to the Latin noun "sonus" (meaning "sound"), and is an ancestor of the English word "sound." "Dissonant" includes the negative prefix "dis-." What is "dissonant," therefore, sounds inharmonic, conflicting, or clashing.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
