Dissonant
/ˈdɪs.ə.nənt/noun
Lacking harmony; harsh or disagreeing in sound, style, or agreement.
Did you know?Its Latin ancestor, *dissonantem*, was used for things that did not “sound together,” and the same sound-root also lives in words like **consonant** and **sonic**.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
dissonantem
“not sounding together; disagreeing in sound”
Late Latin
Latin
dissonare
“to sound differently or out of tune”
Old French
Old French
dissonant
“discordant, disagreeing”
14th Century
English
dissonant
“out of tune; disagreeing in sound or sense”
Modern English
English
dissonant
“harsh-sounding, lacking harmony, or incongruous”