harmony

[hahr-muh-nee]

noun

plural

harmonies 

1. agreement; accord; harmonious relations.

   Synonyms: friendship, amity, peace, unity, concord

2. a consistent, orderly, or pleasing arrangement of parts; congruity.

   Synonyms: consonance, consistency, correspondence, conformity

3. Music.

   1. any simultaneous combination of tones.

   2. the simultaneous combination of tones, especially when blended into chords pleasing to the ear; chordal structure, as distinguished from melody and rhythm.

   3. the science of the structure, relations, and practical combination of chords.

4. an arrangement of the contents of the Gospels, either of all four or of the first three, designed to show their parallelism, mutual relations, and differences.

harmony

/ ˈhɑːmənɪ /

noun

1. agreement in action, opinion, feeling, etc; accord

2. order or congruity of parts to their whole or to one another

3. agreeable sounds

4. music

   1. any combination of notes sounded simultaneously

   2. the vertically represented structure of a piece of music Compare melody rhythm

   3. the art or science concerned with the structure and combinations of chords

5. a collation of the material of parallel narratives, esp of the four Gospels

harmony

1. The sounding of two or more musical notes at the same time in a way that is pleasant or desired. Harmony, melody, and rhythm are elements of music.

Other Word Forms

• nonharmony noun
• preharmony noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of harmony¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English armonye, from Middle French, from Latin harmonia, from Greek harmonía “joint, framework, agreement, harmony,” akin to hárma “chariot,” harmós “joint,” ararískein “to join together”

Word History and Origins

Origin of harmony¹

C14: from Latin harmonia concord of sounds, from Greek: harmony, from harmos a joint

Synonym Study

See symmetry. Harmony, melody in music suggest a combination of sounds from voices or musical instruments. Harmony is the blending of simultaneous sounds of different pitch or quality, making chords: harmony in part singing; harmony between violins and horns. Melody is the rhythmical combination of successive sounds of various pitch, making up the tune or air: a tuneful melody to accompany cheerful words.

Example Sentences

You might hear "ghost" harmonies, where backing vocals appear and disappear at random.

Read more on BBC

In contrast, many Asian communities are rooted in collectivist cultures, where identity and wellness are deeply intertwined with family and group harmony.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“I said, ‘Ah, that’s the thing about harmony singing, you lock in!’

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“And such lovely harmony on the last note, too. I never tire of hearing ‘A Pail Full of Flounder,’ as the girls like to call it, especially when sung with so much feeling.

Read more on Literature

Best known for composing the Brandenburg Concertos, he was described by the 18th-century composer Ludwig Van Beethoven as "the immortal god of harmony".

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• conformity 
• consensus 
• consistency 
• cooperation 
• friendship 
• good will www.thesaurus.com
• kinship 
• peace 
• rapport 
• tranquility 
• unanimity 
• understanding 
• unity