overtone
UK /ˈəʊ.və.təʊn/ · US /ˈoʊvɚtoʊn/ noun, verb
Forms overtones overtoning overtoned
- noun (physics, music) A tone whose frequency is an integer multiple of another; a member of the harmonic series.
- noun (figuratively, often in the plural) An implicit message (in a film, book, verbal discussion, or similar) perceived as overwhelming the explicit message.
- noun An implicit message (in a film, book, verbal discussion, or similar) perceived subtly alongside, but not overwhelming, the explicit message.
- verb (transitive) To give an overtone to.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Etymology
From over- + tone, calque of German Oberton.
Webster’s 1913
- noun One of the harmonics faintly heard with and above a tone as it dies away, produced by some aliquot portion of the vibrating sting or column of air which yields the fundamental tone; one of the natural harmonic scale of tones, as the octave, twelfth, fifteenth, etc.; an aliquot or "partial" tone; a harmonic. See Harmonic, and Tone.
Etymology [A translation of G. oberton. See Over,Tone.]
Sources: Wiktionary · WordNet 3.0 · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “overtone”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details