Solmization
/ˌsɒl.mɪˈzeɪ.ʃən/noun
A system of teaching musical pitches by assigning syllables such as do, re, mi, fa, sol, and la.
Did you know?The famous note syllables emerged from a medieval hymn to Saint John the Baptist, turning a prayer’s opening sounds into a practical system for teaching singers.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*sóh₂wl̥
“The sun; the ancestral root behind later words for the sun”
Classical Antiquity
Latin
sol
“The sun”
11th Century
Medieval Latin
sol
“A pitch syllable used in the developing medieval system of musical solmization”
12th–13th Century
Medieval Latin
solmisare
“To sing or teach using the syllables sol and mi”
16th Century
French
solmiser
“To solmize, or sing musical notes using named syllables”
Late 16th Century
English
solmization
“The practice or method of singing notes through solmizing syllables”
Modern English
English
solmization
“A formal method of pitch training using syllables such as do, re, mi, and sol”
Explore more surprising origins