Etymology Explorer › Latin

Where does “tonus” come from?

tonus (Latin) comes from Ancient Greek τόνος, from Proto-Hellenic tónos, from Proto-Indo-European tónos, from Proto-Indo-European ten- — to stretch, to extend.

tonus (Latin): The stretching or straining of a rope; A strain;...

Definitions

  1. The stretching or straining of a rope; A strain;...

Ancestry of “tonus”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Ancient Greekτόνοςrope, cord; chord; tone, note
2Proto-Hellenictónosrope, cord; tension
3Proto-Indo-Europeantónossomething stretched; chord, fiber, string
4Proto-Indo-Europeanten-to stretch, to extend

Words derived from “tonus”

  • tone
  • tune
  • tonal
  • undertone
  • tonality
  • tuneful
  • diatonic
  • attunement
  • tunable
  • tuner
  • semitone
  • overtone
  • toner
  • attune
  • halftone
  • atonal
  • toneless
  • tuneless
  • tonus
  • tritone
  • tony
  • ringtone
  • tonally
  • midtone
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ten- →