| diatonic | Pertaining to the scale of eight tones, the eighth of which is the octave of the first. Diatonic scale, a scale consisting of eight sounds with seven intervals, of which two are semitones and five are whole tones; a modern major or minor scale, as distinguished from the chromatic scale. Origin: L. Diatonicus, diatonus, Gr, fr. To stretch out; through + to stretch: cf. F. Diatonique. See Tone. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998) |
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