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treble clef

American

noun

Music.

a sign that locates the G above middle C, placed on the second line of the staff, counting up; G clef.

treble clef British

noun

music the clef that establishes G a fifth above middle C as being on the second line of the staff

"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

Etymology

Origin of treble clef

First recorded in 1795–1805

Compare meaning

How does treble-clef compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

bass clef vs. treble clef

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.

Prosecutors showed a 2012 memo noting one such arrangement for Calamari Sr. bearing the former president’s initial — a D resembling a treble clef — and the handwritten notation, “OK.”

From Seattle Times • Nov. 10, 2022

Dede chose a tattoo design that features a one-of-a-kind treble clef, fish hook, ribbon and heart on her right forearm.

From Fox News • Nov. 1, 2021

Another tattoo of a treble clef is on her right forearm.

From Washington Times • Aug. 18, 2017

About the treble clef that she and her husband, Paul, gave Emilie, the cheerful eldest, when she started loving her violin.

From New York Times • Jan. 13, 2013

Much more common is the use of a treble clef that is meant to be read one octave below the written pitch.

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

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