atonally
|a-ton-al-ly|
🇺🇸
/eɪˈtoʊnəl/
🇬🇧
/eɪˈtəʊnəl/
(atonal)
without a tonal center
Etymology
'atonal' originates from combining the prefix 'a-' (from Greek, meaning 'not') with 'tonal' (from Latin/Old French roots related to 'tone'), where 'a-' meant 'not' and the root for 'tone' meant 'sound' or 'pitch'.
'atonal' developed as a term in music theory in the late 19th to early 20th century (English), influenced by similar coinages in German and other European languages; the noun 'atonality' and the adverb 'atonally' followed as derived forms to describe the condition and manner respectively.
Initially formed simply as 'not tonal' to describe absence of a key; over time it became a technical term in music theory and criticism specifically associated with early 20th-century compositional practice.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or quality of being atonal; music that lacks a tonal center (definition of 'atonality').
Atonality became an important concept in early 20th-century modernist music.
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Antonyms
Adjective 1
not based on or organized by a key; lacking a tonal center (definition of 'atonal').
An atonal passage can sound unsettling to listeners used to tonal music.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/13 02:42