Meanings
unison1
plural unisons
- uncountableusuallyacousticsentertainmentIdentical pitch between two notes or sounds; the simultaneous playing of notes of identical pitch (or separated by one or more octaves).First known use 15th c.
The unison has a pitch ratio of 1:1.
1 more example
The young principal timpanist, Timothy Genis, was superb throughout, though his sidekick timpanist sometimes lagged in the final unisons.
2007 July 16, James R. Oestreich, “With Levine as Tour Guide, a Journey Through Mahler’s Third Symphony”, in New York Times - uncountableusuallyacousticsentertainmentA sound or note having the same pitch as another, especially when used as the base note for an interval; a unison string.First known use 15th c.
I could not behold him without emotion; when he accosted me, his well-known voice made my heart vibrate, like a musical chord, when its unison is struck.
1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC - uncountableusuallyThe state of being in harmony or agreement; harmonious agreement or togetherness, synchronisation.First known use 17th c.
Everyone moved in unison, but the sudden change in weight distribution capsized the boat.
- broadlyuncountableusuallyTwo or more voices speaking or singing the same words together.
UNISON2
- UKlabor unionA public-sector trade union in the United Kingdom.
Unison3
- Alternative letter-case form of UNISON (“British trade union for public-sector workers”).
Synonyms & antonyms
Origin
unison · noun
- Medieval Latinūnisonus“having the same sound”
- Middle Frenchunisson
- Middle Englishunisoun
- Englishunison
From Middle English unisoun, from Middle French unisson, from Medieval Latin ūnisonus (“having the same sound”), from ūni- + sonus (“sound”).
More words from Middle English, Middle French, Medieval Latin
Full word history & related roots →UNISON · proper noun
Since 1993. Created as a play on unison, as the united workers act in unison.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans unisoon
- unisoonmusic: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
Bulgarian съзвучие, съгласие
- съзвучие (săzvučie)music: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
- съгласие (săglasie)the state of being together, in harmony, at the same time
- хармония (harmonija)the state of being together, in harmony, at the same time
Chinese Mandarin 同音, 齊唱 /齐唱
- 同音 (tóngyīn)music: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
- 齊唱 /齐唱 (qíchàng)music: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
- 齊奏 /齐奏 (qízòu)music: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
- 一致 (yīzhì)the state of being together, in harmony, at the same time
- 和諧 /和谐 (héxié)the state of being together, in harmony, at the same time
French unisson
- unissonmusic: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
German Unisono, Einklang
- Unisonomusic: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
- Einklangmusic: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
- Einklangthe state of being together, in harmony, at the same time
- Gleichklangthe state of being together, in harmony, at the same time
- Eintrachtthe state of being together, in harmony, at the same time
Irish comh-airde, aoncheol
- comh-airdemusic: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
- aoncheolmusic: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
- aontachtmusic: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
- comhréirthe state of being together, in harmony, at the same time
Italian unisono
- unisonomusic: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
Japanese 同音, ユニゾン
- 同音 (dōon)music: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
- ユニゾン (yunizon)music: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
- 斉唱 (seishō)music: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
- 斉奏 (seisō)music: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
- 和同 (wadō)the state of being together, in harmony, at the same time
- 一致 (itchi)the state of being together, in harmony, at the same time
Polish unisono, unisono
- unisonomusic: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
- unisonothe state of being together, in harmony, at the same time
Romanian primă, unison
- primămusic: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
- unisonmusic: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
Russian унисо́н, согла́сие
- унисо́н (unisón)music: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
- согла́сие (soglásije)the state of being together, in harmony, at the same time
Spanish unísono
- unísonothe state of being together, in harmony, at the same time
Swedish samråd
- samrådmusic: the simultaneous playing of an identical note more than once
Rhymes & wordplay
Sounds the same
Anagrams
Cite this entry
unison. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unison
“unison.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unison. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “unison,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/unison.
Source: unison on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.