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gamut

[ gam-uht ]
/ ˈgæm ət /
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noun
the entire scale or range:the gamut of dramatic emotion from grief to joy.
Music.
  1. the whole series of recognized musical notes.
  2. the major scale.
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Origin of gamut

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin; contraction of gamma ut, equivalent to gamma, used to represent the first or lowest tone (G) in the medieval scale + ut (later do ); the notes of the scale (ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si) being named from a Latin hymn to St. John the Baptist: Utqueant laxis resonare fibris. Mira gestorum famuli tuorum, Solve polluti labii reatum, Sancte Iohannes

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH gamut

gambit, gamut
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use gamut in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for gamut

gamut
/ (ˈgæmət) /

noun
entire range or scale, as of emotions
music
  1. a scale, esp (in medieval theory) one starting on the G on the bottom line of the bass staff
  2. the whole range of notes
physics the range of chromaticities that can be obtained by mixing three colours

Word Origin for gamut

C15: from Medieval Latin, changed from gamma ut, from gamma, the lowest note of the hexachord as established by Guido d'Arezzo + ut (now, doh), the first of the notes of the scale ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si, derived from a Latin hymn to St John: Ut queant laxis re sonare fibris, Mi ra gestorum fa muli tuorum, Sol ve polluti la bi reatum, S ancte I ohannes
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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