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Showing results for chordal. Search instead for chordally.

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

But as the chordal relationships change, Krimsky incorporates jazz locomotion, gradually and naturally.

From New York Times Apr. 27, 2023

The piece “hushing,” by inti figgis-vizueta, played out over archival video of Tender as a child; the intense chordal pounding of the piece had the feel of eerie, silent-film piano accompaniment.

From New York Times Mar. 12, 2023

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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