Where does “tune” come from?
Tune comes from Middle English tune, from Old French ton, from Latin tonus, from Ancient Greek τόνος, ultimately from the Proto-Indo-European root ten- meaning to stretch or extend.
tune (English): A melody; A song, or short musical composition;...
Definitions
- A melody; A song, or short musical composition;...
Ancestry of “tune”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle English | tune | Alternative form of toun |
| 2 | Old French | ton | your |
| 3 | Latin | tonus | The stretching or straining of a rope; A strain;... |
| 4 | Ancient Greek | τόνος | rope, cord; chord; tone, note |
| 5 | Proto-Hellenic | tónos | rope, cord; tension |
| 6 | Proto-Indo-European | tónos | something stretched; chord, fiber, string |
| 7 | Proto-Indo-European | ten- | to stretch, to extend |