atonal
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of atonal
Explanation
Atonal music doesn't follow the usual rules of melody, and it's not in a particular key. Sometimes very experimental atonal music sounds a lot like noise. Most music is written in a particular key, and it centers on a tone from which notes rise and fall in a familiar way. In the early 20th century, some adventurous composers wrote pieces that were atonal, such as Arnold Schoenberg, whose atonal compositions are among the most well known, although he objected to the term itself. The word atonal combines a-, "not," and tonal, from the Greek tonos, "pitch, accent, or key."
Vocabulary lists containing atonal
Music - Middle School
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Music - High School
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Opera Vocabulary
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Eventually, the atonal structure becomes the film’s nature.
From Salon • Mar. 8, 2026
For example, dissonant, atonal harmonies convey a sense of unrest.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 21, 2024
He once played a piece for piano, violin and oboe for Milhaud that contained a melody he was ashamed to have written, as 12-point atonal music was in vogue at the time.
From Washington Times • Feb. 9, 2023
Her producer, Jonathan Wilson, had the idea to juxtapose her live take “with some really weird, atonal strings,” he said.
From New York Times • Dec. 29, 2022
They walked to the church, past the great houses that rested in the shadow of the Lawn, singing fragments of Christmas carols in the atonal Meecham voices, and laughing at every joke anyone made.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
