hemiola

H4E1M3I1O1L1A1
/hɛmiˈoʊlə//himiˈoʊlə/

noun

The articulation of two bars in triple time as if they were three bars in duple time.

OriginAncient Greek ἡμιόλιος →
Scrabble 12
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Meanings

nounhemiola (plural hemiolas)

plural hemiolas · alternative hemiolia

  1. entertainmentThe articulation of two bars in triple time as if they were three bars in duple time.

Origin

  1. Ancient Greekἡμιόλιος
  2. Englishhemiola

Ultimately from Ancient Greek ἡμιόλιος (hēmiólios), "containing one and a half; half as much again; in the ratio of 3:2".

More words from Ancient Greek

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Czech hemiola
  • hemiolahemiola
Finnish hemiola
  • hemiolahemiola
French hémiole
  • hémiolehemiola
Greek ημιόλιο
  • ημιόλιο (imiólio)hemiola
Italian emiolia
  • emioliahemiola

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with hemiola

MotorolaAngolacolaPensacolaviolalolaOsceolacanolaholaRollagondolanolabolagranolaTortolakolaebolamineolaIolamolaApalachicolagorgonzolaareolapayola
All rhymes →

Anagrams

mahiole
Cite this entry
APA

hemiola. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hemiola

MLA

“hemiola.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hemiola. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “hemiola,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/hemiola.

Source: hemiola on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.