diesis

American  

[dahy-uh-sis] / ˈdaɪ ə sɪs /

noun

Printing.

• dieses
  plural

1. double dagger.

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diesis British  

/ ˈdaɪɪsɪs /

noun

1. printing another name for double dagger

2. music

   1. (in ancient Greek theory) any interval smaller than a whole tone, esp a semitone in the Pythagorean scale

   2. (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

Noun Inflected Forms

• dieses
  plural

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

See Examples For:

diesis dieses

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

A diesis is a quarter tone; hence in a semitone there are included two dieses.

From The Ten Books on Architecture by Vitruvius Pollio

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)

In the enharmonic, the tetrachord consists of two tones and two "dieses."

From The Ten Books on Architecture by Vitruvius Pollio

Tieck is fully justified in calling Reynolds' scene from "Henry VI." "dieses abscheuliche Blatt," where the word "abscheulich" is reminiscent of the Anzeigen.

From Tieck's Essay on the Boydell Shakspere Gallery by Danton, George Henry

A diesis is a quarter tone; hence in a semitone there are included two dieses.

From The Ten Books on Architecture by Vitruvius Pollio