semitone
[ sem-ee-tohn, sem-ahy- ]
/ ˈsɛm iˌtoʊn, ˈsɛm aɪ- /
noun Music.
a pitch interval halfway between two whole tones.
OTHER WORDS FROM semitone
sem·i·ton·ic [sem-ee-ton-ik, sem-ahy-] /ˌsɛm iˈtɒn ɪk, ˌsɛm aɪ-/, sem·i·ton·al [sem-ee-tohn-l, sem-ahy-] /ˌsɛm iˈtoʊn l, ˌsɛm aɪ-/, adjective sem·i·ton·al·ly, adverbWords nearby semitone
Example sentences from the Web for semitone
British Dictionary definitions for semitone
semitone
/ (ˈsɛmɪˌtəʊn) /
noun
an interval corresponding to a frequency difference of 100 cents as measured in the system of equal temperament, and denoting the pitch difference between certain adjacent degrees of the diatonic scale (diatonic semitone) or between one note and its sharpened or flattened equivalent (chromatic semitone); minor second
Also called (US and Canadian): half step Compare whole tone