minor mode

American  

noun

Music.

1. a scale or key in which the third degree is a minor third above the tonic.

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minor mode British  

noun

1. music any arrangement of notes present in or characteristic of a minor scale or key

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Etymology

Origin of minor mode

First recorded in 1770–80

Example Sentences

The proposal says that the minor mode feature would try to prevent “internet addiction” by limiting children younger than 8 to 40 minutes of smartphone time a day.

From New York Times • Aug. 4, 2023

The CAC's proposal requires industry players including mobile phone device makers, apps and app stores to develop a function called "minor mode" to set usage limits - which vary by age.

From BBC • Aug. 3, 2023

"Monkeypox can be biologically transmitted through respiratory droplets, but is that what's driving the spread? Or is it a minor mode of transmission or is that a major mode of transmission?"

From Salon • Aug. 3, 2022

No matter how many great individual Picasso works there are in London, Madrid or New York, in its museum Paris has the artist himself, early and late, in major and minor mode.

From New York Times • Oct. 27, 2014

Dr. Creser was first led to use Tonic Sol-fa by noticing how easy it made the minor mode.

From The Boy's Voice A Book of Practical Information on The Training of Boys' Voices For Church Choirs, &c. by Curwen, John Spencer