microtone

American

[mahy-kruh-tohn] / ˈmaɪ krəˌtoʊn /

noun

any musical interval smaller than a semitone, specifically, a quarter tone.

microtone British

/ ˈmaɪkrəʊˌtəʊn /

noun

any musical interval smaller than a semitone

"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

Other Word Forms

microtonal adjective
microtonality noun
microtonally adverb

Etymology

Origin of microtone

First recorded in 1915–20; micro- + tone

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.

In a remarkable performance, the Jack Quartet managed to sound free while maintaining control in a central passage of hovering harmonies, built from the overtones of a base microtone.

From New York Times

Tuning a microtone lower than “modern pitch” will further replicate the sound of Beethoven’s era.

From Seattle Times

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023