Tonality
/toʊˈnæl.ə.ti/noun
The organization of music around a central key or tonic.
Did you know?Tonality comes from the same ancient root as words for tension and stretching, which is fitting because a key in music is basically a field of pressure and release.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*ten-
“to stretch, pull tight”
Latin
Latin
tonus
“a stretching, tension; later, a tone or sound”
Late Latin
Latin
tonalitas
“quality of tone”
18th Century
French
tonalité
“quality of tone; musical key”
19th Century
English
tonality
“the system or character of keys in music”