tonality

T1O1N1A1L1I1T1Y4
UK/təʊnˈæl.ɪ.tiː/US/toʊnˈæl.ɪ.ti/

noun

The system of seven tones built on a tonic key; the 24 major and minor scales.

Similar
key
Opposite
atonality
OriginFrench tonalité →
UncommonScrabble 11
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Meanings

nountonality (countable and uncountable, plural tonalities)

plural tonalities

  1. countableuncountableentertainmentThe system of seven tones built on a tonic key; the 24 major and minor scales.
  2. countableuncountableentertainmentA sound of specific pitch and quality; timbre.
  3. countableuncountableentertainmentThe quality of all the tones in a composition heard in relation to the tonic.
  4. countableuncountableThe interrelation of the tones in a painting.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounany of 24 major or minor diatonic scales that provide the tonal framework for a piece of music

Similar
key
Opposite
atonality
Broader
musical notation
Also see
key

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Frenchtonalité
  2. Englishtonality

From French tonalité.

More words from French

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian тона́лност
  • тона́лност (tonálnost)system of seven tones and tonic key
Catalan tonalitat
  • tonalitatsystem of seven tones and tonic key
Chinese Mandarin 調性 /调性
  • 調性 /调性 (diàoxìng)system of seven tones and tonic key
Danish tonalitet
  • tonalitetsystem of seven tones and tonic key
Finnish tonaalisuus
  • tonaalisuussystem of seven tones and tonic key
French tonalité
  • tonalitésystem of seven tones and tonic key
Japanese 調性
  • 調性system of seven tones and tonic key
Korean 조성
  • 조성 (joseong)system of seven tones and tonic key
Norwegian Bokmål tonalitet
  • tonalitetsystem of seven tones and tonic key
Polish tonalność
  • tonalnośćsystem of seven tones and tonic key
Portuguese tonalidade
  • tonalidadesystem of seven tones and tonic key
Russian тона́льность
  • тона́льность (tonálʹnostʹ)system of seven tones and tonic key
Spanish tonalidad
  • tonalidadsystem of seven tones and tonic key
Swedish tonalitet
  • tonalitetsystem of seven tones and tonic key
Ukrainian тона́льність
  • тона́льність (tonálʹnistʹ)system of seven tones and tonic key

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with tonality

realitybestialitypersonalityhospitalitysexualityconfidentialitymoralitylocalityhomosexualitymentalitypluralitydualitylegalitybrutalitymodalityfatalitygeneralitytotalitycausalitysensualityformalitynormalityproportionalitydimensionality
All rhymes →
Cite this entry
APA

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

MLA

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

Chicago

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

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