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Showing results for chordal. Search instead for chorda.

chordal

American  
[kawr-dl] / ˈkɔr dl /

adjective

  1. of, relating to, or resembling a chord.

  2. of or relating to music that is marked principally by vertical harmonic movement rather than by linear polyphony.


Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of chordal

First recorded in 1610–20; chord 2 + -al 1


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.

See Examples For:

Probably because at the time many of the time signatures and chordal progressions that Miles used were over the head of a young guitar player still functioning in the blues and folk idioms.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 25, 2026

His chordal shapes are different than mine but I’m following the rhythm to make sure I’m staying in the pocket.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 11, 2026

Less so is Nina Barzegar, whose world premiere “Inexorable Passage” was thrilling in its fusion of experimental, extended-technique effects, as well as melodic and chordal inventions.

From New York Times ● Oct. 16, 2022

Gill, on the other hand, was more chordal, and if her piano figures were sometimes similar to Barrick’s, she put them to a more rhythmic, swinging purpose.

From Washington Post ● Aug. 28, 2022

But for Josquin, chordal harmony was too useful a tool in illuminating the text to worry about its effect on the modes.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

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