whole step
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of whole step
First recorded in 1895–1900
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How does whole-step compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
This is a half step where a whole step is needed.
From Salon ● Sep. 1, 2023
“This could be a whole step forward for understanding magmatism—and the global composition of the bulk Earth.”
From Science Magazine ● May 25, 2023
Some of them we drop a whole step, some we drop a half step, and some are still in the original keys.
From New York Times ● Jul. 25, 2018
You can’t get a whole step; maybe you can get a half-step.
From New York Times ● Jun. 10, 2011
Lowering it by a whole step would put it in the key of A flat.
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
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
