Where does “polytonal” come from?
polytonal (English) comes from English poly, from Latin polium, from Latin polion, from Ancient Greek πόλιον, from Ancient Greek πολιός, from Proto-Hellenic poľľós, from Proto-Indo-European polH-yós, from Proto-Indo-European pelH- — pale, gray.
polytonal (English): That uses two or more tonalities simultaneously
Definitions
- That uses two or more tonalities simultaneously
Ancestry of “polytonal”, step by step
polytonal traces back through two separate lines of ancestry.
via English poly
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | poly | Polytechnic; Polyethylene; Polyurethane |
| 2 | Latin | polium | Alternative form of polion |
| 3 | Latin | polion | A strong-smelling plant, perhaps Teucrium... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | πόλιον | felty germander |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | πολιός | grey, grizzled, grizzly; bright, clear, serene; a... |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | poľľós | grey |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | polH-yós | — |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | pelH- | pale, gray |
via English tonal
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | English | tonal | Of or relating to tones or tonality; Of or... |
| 2 | English | tone | A specific pitch; An interval of a major second;... |
| 3 | Middle English | tone | the one |
| 4 | Latin | tonus | The stretching or straining of a rope; A strain;... |
| 5 | Ancient Greek | τόνος | rope, cord; chord; tone, note |
| 6 | Proto-Hellenic | tónos | rope, cord; tension |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | tónos | something stretched; chord, fiber, string |
| 8 | Proto-Indo-European | ten- | to stretch, to extend |