diesis
Americannoun
noun
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printing another name for double dagger
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music
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(in ancient Greek theory) any interval smaller than a whole tone, esp a semitone in the Pythagorean scale
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(in modern theory) the discrepancy of pitch in just intonation between an octave and either a succession of four ascending minor thirds ( great diesis ), or a succession of three ascending major thirds ( minor diesis )
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Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of diesis
1350–1400; originally, any of several musical intervals smaller than a tone (for which a double dagger was used as a symbol); Middle English < Latin di ( h ) esis < Greek díesis literally, a sending through, equivalent to die-, base of diïénai to send through ( di- di- 3 + hiénai to send) + -sis -sis
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.
A diesis is a quarter tone; hence in a semitone there are included two dieses.
From The Ten Books on Architecture by Vitruvius Pollio
They still went to see Otello at the Théâtre-Italien, but that was to hear Tamberlick’s C diesis.
From Musical Memories by Rich, Edwin Gile
If, therefore, the octaves are to remain perfect, which they must do, each major third must be tuned sharper than perfect by one-third part of the diesis.
From Piano Tuning A Simple and Accurate Method for Amateurs by Fischer, J. Cree (Jerry Cree)
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.
