Where does “atonalist” come from?

atonalist (English) comes from English atonal, from English tonal, from English tone, from Middle English tone, from Latin tonus, from Ancient Greek τόνος, from Proto-Hellenic tónos, from Proto-Indo-European tónos — to stretch, to extend.

atonalist (English): A composer of atonal music

Definitions

  1. A composer of atonal music

Ancestry of “atonalist”, step by step

atonalist traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English atonal

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishatonalLacking a tonal center or key; Not tonal, lacking...
2EnglishtonalOf or relating to tones or tonality; Of or...
3EnglishtoneA specific pitch; An interval of a major second;...
4Middle Englishtonethe one
5LatintonusThe stretching or straining of a rope; A strain;...
6Ancient Greekτόνοςrope, cord; chord; tone, note
7Proto-Hellenictónosrope, cord; tension
8Proto-Indo-Europeantónossomething stretched; chord, fiber, string
9Proto-Indo-Europeanten-to stretch, to extend

via English ist

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishistA practitioner or supporter of an ism
2English-istAdded to words to form nouns denoting
3Old French-iste
4Latin-ista-ist; one who practises or believes
5Ancient Greek-ιστήςAlternative form of -τής; -ist
6Ancient Greek-τήςAppended to verbs to form agent nouns
7Proto-Hellenic-tās
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ten-Every word from Proto-Indo-European tónosEvery word from Proto-Hellenic tónos