Origin of tone

1275–1325; Middle English (noun) < Latin tonus < Greek tónos strain, tone, mode, literally, a stretching, akin to teínein to stretch

SYNONYMS FOR tone

1 See sound1.
15 spirit, quality, temper.

OTHER WORDS FROM tone

Definition for tone (2 of 2)

Tone
[ tohn ]
/ toʊn /

noun

(Theobald) Wolfe,1763–98, Irish nationalist and martyr for independence.

Example sentences from the Web for tone

British Dictionary definitions for tone (1 of 2)

tone
/ (təʊn) /

noun

verb

See also tone down, tone up

Word Origin for tone

C14: from Latin tonus, from Greek tonos tension, tone, from teinein to stretch

British Dictionary definitions for tone (2 of 2)

Tone
/ (təʊn) /

noun

(Theobald) Wolfe. 1763–98, Irish nationalist, who founded (1791) the Society of United Irishmen and led (1798) French military forces to Ireland. He was captured and sentenced to death but committed suicide

Medical definitions for tone

tone
[ tōn ]

n.

The quality or character of sound.
The character of voice expressing an emotion.
The normal state of elastic tension or partial contraction in resting muscles.
Normal firmness of a tissue or an organ.

v.

To give tone or firmness to.