minor key

American  

noun

Music.

1. a key or mode based on a minor scale.

2. a less jubilant or more restrained mood, atmosphere, or quality.

   The conversation shifted to a minor key with news of the defeat.

---

minor key British  

noun

1. music a key based on notes taken from a corresponding minor scale

---

Etymology

Origin of minor key

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

minor key

Monty Norman's surf guitar riff and John Barry's sweeping orchestral scores spawned an entire genre of spy music – full of minor key suspense and piercing stabs of trumpet.

From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026

Its reflective, minor key melancholy was embraced by fans after the band went on hiatus in 2016.

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2024

The mood is melancholic, redoubled by long, drawn-out notes from the strings and minor key piano arpeggios; passages of happiness feel fragile, fleeting, untrustworthy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 4, 2023

The catalyst for cinema’s turn from a major to minor key isn’t hard to find.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 23, 2022

The expectations for music in a minor key are a little different than for music in a major key.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones