Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “tonalist” come from?

tonalist (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.

tonalist (English): An artist working in the style of tonalism

Definitions

  1. An artist working in the style of tonalism

Ancestry of “tonalist”, 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
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ten- →