Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “bitonal” come from?

bitonal (English) comes 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, from Proto-Indo-European ten- — to stretch, to extend.

bitonal (English): That has two tonic centres simultaneously; Of or...

Definitions

  1. That has two tonic centres simultaneously; Of or...

Ancestry of “bitonal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishtonalOf or relating to tones or tonality; Of or...
2EnglishtoneA specific pitch; An interval of a major second;...
3Middle Englishtonethe one
4LatintonusThe stretching or straining of a rope; A strain;...
5Ancient Greekτόνοςrope, cord; chord; tone, note
6Proto-Hellenictónosrope, cord; tension
7Proto-Indo-Europeantónossomething stretched; chord, fiber, string
8Proto-Indo-Europeanten-to stretch, to extend

Words derived from “bitonal”

  • bitonality
  • bitonally
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ten- →