coincidence in pitch of two or more musical tones, voices, etc.
the musical interval of a perfect prime.
the performance of musical parts at the same pitch or at the octave.
a sounding together in octaves, especially of male and female voices or of higher and lower instruments of the same class.
a process in which all elements behave in the same way at the same time; simultaneous or synchronous parallel action.
to march in unison.
music
the interval between two sounds of identical pitch
(modifier) played or sung at the same pitch
unison singing
complete agreement; harmony (esp in the phrase in unison )
1565–75; < Medieval Latin ūnisonus of a single sound, equivalent to Latin ūni- uni- + sonus sound
The noun unison describes something that is synchronized or simultaneous, like when someone asks a question and you and your friend respond with the exact same answer at the same moment. When something is said in unison, two or more voices sound like one. Unison comes from the Latin root words uni, meaning "one," and sonous, meaning "sound." So unison literally means one sound, and in music, it still retains that meaning. Unison occurs when two or more people play or sing the same pitch or in octaves. Outside of music, you may have experienced unison speaking when your class recites something together or unison movement when a group performs a dance routine.
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Sylvia Haughney, from the Unison union, says she is hearing the same stories from teaching assistants across the country and that local authorities need to do far more to train, support and risk assess.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
Since the pandemic, they have faced more poor behaviour and greater numbers of pupils with complex needs, Unison said.
From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025
Survey data gathered by Unison in 2024 suggested the most common pay range for school support staff members was £1,200 to £1,399 a month.
From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025
Unison said school support staff often take on additional responsibilities for which they are rarely paid – with some being called upon to perform invasive medical tasks without the relevant training.
From BBC • Dec. 22, 2025
Unison ——— North American conferencing service using PARTIcipate software.
From The Online World by De Presno, Odd
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
