Tonal
/ˈtoʊnəl/noun
Relating to tone, sound quality, or musical pitch.
Did you know?Tonal traces back to Latin tonus, from Greek tonos, originally meaning a stretching or tightening — the idea behind both musical pitch and the ancient belief that voice could alter the body and soul.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
tonos
“a stretching, tension; later, pitch or tone in music”
Classical Latin
Latin
tonus
“a tone, pitch, or musical accent”
Late Latin
Latin
tonalis
“of or relating to tone”
14th–15th Century
English
tonal
“relating to tone or musical pitch”
Modern English
English
tonal
“relating to tone, especially in music, speech, or color”
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