atonality

[ ey-toh-nal-i-tee ]

noun

, Music.

1. the absence of key or tonal center.
2. an atonal principle or style of composition.

atonality

/ ˌæ-; ˌeɪtəʊˈnælɪtɪ /

noun

1. absence of or disregard for an established musical key in a composition
2. the principles of composition embodying this and providing a radical alternative to the diatonic system

Word History and Origins

Origin of atonality¹

First recorded in 1920–25; atonal + -ity

Example Sentences

The first article, published in March 2000, was on atonality by a scholar at the Johannes Gutenberg University in Mainz, Germany.

From The Daily Beast