bitonality

American

[bahy-toh-nal-i-tee] / ˌbaɪ toʊˈnæl ɪ ti /

noun

Music.

the simultaneous occurrence of two tonalities in a composition.

Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

bitonalities

plural

Etymology

Origin of bitonality

First recorded in 1925–30; bi- ¹ + tonality

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.

The forceful first movement is constructed exclusively from a seven-note mode, the Rachmaninov-like piano writing in the central slow one surrounded by slithering, woozy quarter-tones in the strings, while the finale flirts inconclusively with bitonality.

From The Guardian • Aug. 4, 2010

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023