SUBTONIC

subtonic, leading tone

(noun) (music) the seventh note of the diatonic scale

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adjective

subtonic (not comparable)

(phonetics, dated) Of or pertaining to imperfectly articulated sounds or utterances that are inaudible or barely audible, as characterized by Dr. James Rush (Guide to Pronunciation, 1833).

Noun

subtonic (plural subtonics)

(music) The note immediately below the upper note of a musical scale.

(phonetics, dated) An imperfectly articulated sound or utterance, as characterized by Dr. James Rush (Guide to Pronunciation, 1833).

Source: Wiktionary


Sub*ton"ic, a. (Phonetics)

Definition: Applied to, or distinguishing, a speech element consisting of tone, or proper vocal sound, not pure as in the vowels, but dimmed and otherwise modified by some kind of obstruction in the oral or the nasal passage, and in some cases with a mixture of breath sound; -- a term introduced by Dr. James Rush in 1833. See Guide to Pronunciation, §§155, 199-202.

Sub*ton"ic, n.

1. (Phonetics)

Definition: A subtonic sound or element; a vocal consonant, as b, d, g, n, etc.; a subvocal.

2. (Mus.)

Definition: The seventh tone of the scale, or that immediately below the tonic; -- called also subsemitone.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



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Word of the Day

1 June 2025

BACKFIRE

(verb) come back to the originator of an action with an undesired effect; “Your comments may backfire and cause you a lot of trouble”; “the political movie backlashed on the Democrats”


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Coffee Trivia

Plain brewed coffee contains almost no calories, while coffee with dairy products, sugar, and other flavorings is much higher in calories. An espresso has 20 calories. A nonfat latte has 72, while a flavored one has 134.

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