Where does “micromelody” come from?

micromelody (English) comes from English Melody, from Middle English melodie, from Old French melodie, from Latin melōdia, from Ancient Greek μελῳδία, from Ancient Greek μελῳδός, from Ancient Greek μέλος, from Proto-Indo-European mel- — to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange.

micromelody (English): A melody based on a scale whose intervals are less that a semitone (used to investigate vocal accuracy)

Definitions

  1. A melody based on a scale whose intervals are less that a semitone (used to investigate vocal accuracy)

Ancestry of “micromelody”, step by step

micromelody traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.

via English Melody

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishMelodyA sequence of notes that makes up a musical phrase
2Middle EnglishmelodieMelodiousness; the quality of being musically harmonious or pleasant
3Old Frenchmelodie
4Latinmelōdiamelody
5Ancient Greekμελῳδίαsong, singing; chant; music, melody
6Ancient Greekμελῳδόςmusical
7Ancient Greekμέλοςpart of a body, limb, member, part; part of a...
8Proto-Indo-Europeanmel-soft; tender; weak; to deceive; to rub
9Proto-Indo-Europeanmey-to strengthen; to bind; to change, exchange

via English micro

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmicroSmall, relatively small; short form of...
2Ancient Greekμικρόςlittle, small
3Proto-Indo-Europeanmēy-soft, tender, dear
Every word from Proto-Indo-European mey-Every word from Proto-Indo-European mel-Every word from Ancient Greek μέλος