semitone

American  

[sem-ee-tohn, sem-ahy-] / ˈsɛm iˌtoʊn, ˈsɛm aɪ- /

noun

Music.

1. a pitch interval halfway between two whole tones.

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semitone British  

/ ˌsɛmɪˈtɒnɪk, ˈsɛmɪˌtəʊn /

noun

1. Also called (US and Canadian): half step.  an interval corresponding to a frequency difference of 100 cents as measured in the system of equal temperament, and denoting the pitch difference between certain adjacent degrees of the diatonic scale ( diatonic semitone ) or between one note and its sharpened or flattened equivalent ( chromatic semitone ); minor second Compare whole tone

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Other Word Forms

• semitonal adjective
• semitonally adverb
• semitonic adjective

Etymology

Origin of semitone

First recorded in 1600–10; semi- + tone