inharmonicity
|in-har-mon-i-ci-ty|
🇺🇸
/ɪnˌhɑrməˈnɪsɪti/
🇬🇧
/ɪnˌhɑːməˈnɪsɪti/
lack or deviation from exact harmonic overtones
Etymology
'inharmonicity' is formed in English from the prefix 'in-' (from Latin in-, meaning 'not') + 'harmonicity', where 'harmonicity' is ultimately based on Greek 'harmonia' meaning 'joint, agreement'.
'harmonia' (Greek) → Latin 'harmonia' → Middle English/Modern English 'harmony' and adjective 'harmonic' → nominal derivative 'harmonicity' in technical use → modern English formed 'inharmonicity' by adding the negative prefix 'in-'.
Originally associated with the Greek sense of 'joint' or 'agreement', the root gave rise to meanings related to musical agreement; 'inharmonicity' evolved as a technical term meaning 'absence or deviation from perfect harmonic agreement (especially of overtones)'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a measure of the deviation of the partials (overtones) of a sound from exact integer multiples of the fundamental frequency; the degree to which overtones are not perfectly harmonic (used especially in acoustics and musical instrument physics).
Piano tuners must compensate for the inharmonicity of the strings when setting stretch tuning.
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Noun 2
a general lack of harmony or concord; discordance or dissonance (can be used figuratively outside strict acoustical contexts).
There was an inharmonicity in the choir's performance that made the piece feel unsettled.
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Last updated: 2025/11/14 08:15