attunes
|at-tunes|
🇺🇸
/əˈtun/
🇬🇧
/əˈtjuːn/
(attune)
in harmony
Etymology
'attune' originates from the prefix 'a-' + 'tune', where 'tune' comes from Old French 'ton' and Latin 'tonus', ultimately from Greek 'tonos' meaning 'tension' or 'pitch'.
'attune' changed from Middle English 'atune' (meaning 'in tune' or 'in harmony') and eventually became the modern English verb 'attune' with the sense 'to bring into harmony'.
Initially, it meant 'in tune, in harmony'; over time it evolved into the verb meaning 'to make or bring into harmony' and 'to adjust or adapt'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Verb 1
to bring into harmony or into a receptive state; to make or become harmonious or responsive.
She attunes the choir to each other's breathing before they begin singing.
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Verb 2
to adjust or accustom (someone or something) to a new situation, environment, or set of conditions.
Exposure to diverse sounds attunes infants to different speech patterns.
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Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/11/17 03:46