pentatonic scale

American  

[pen-tuh-ton-ik, pen-] / ˈpɛn təˈtɒn ɪk, ˌpɛn- /

noun

Music.

1. a scale having five tones to an octave, as one having intervals that correspond to the five black keys of a piano octave.

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pentatonic scale British  

/ ˌpɛntəˈtɒnɪk /

noun

1. music any of several scales consisting of five notes, the most commonly encountered one being composed of the first, second, third, fifth, and sixth degrees of the major diatonic scale

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Etymology

Origin of pentatonic scale

First recorded in 1860–65; penta- + tonic

Example Sentences

Built on a pentatonic scale, “Summertime” gathers within its modest frame the sound world of black folk tradition.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 5, 2025

"They comprise, in substance, the use of the first four notes of the minor pentatonic scale combined with the use of octaves and harmonies in a vocal chant," he argued.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2022

And he performed in the five-note pentatonic scale common to sub-Saharan Africa — a sound that distinguishes Sudanese music from the seven-note heptatonic scale more common to the Middle East and North Africa.

From Washington Post • Dec. 16, 2021

The clarinetist plays and repeats a handful of pivotal phrases, following a pentatonic scale, like many Indian ragas, and can deploy embellishments, motifs and moods unique to the region.

From New York Times • Sep. 24, 2014

Any scale that uses only five notes within one octave is a pentatonic scale.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones