Meanings
plural whole tones
- entertainmentThe musical interval equal (exactly or approximately) to a frequency ratio of 8/7, 9/8, or 10/9, depending on the tuning system used. In meantone tunings (including twelve-tone equal temperament), there is only one whole tone, though tuning systems that are not meantone have a "major tone" of 9/8 and a "minor tone" of 10/9.
Synonyms: tone, whole step
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe musical interval equal (exactly or approximately) to a frequency ratio of 8/7, 9/8, or 10/9, depending on the tuning system used. In meantone tunings (including twelve-tone equal temperament), there is only one whole tone, though tuning systems that are not meantone have a "major tone" of 9/8 and a "minor tone" of 10/9.
More synonyms by meaning
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Finnish kokosävelaskel, sävelaskel
- kokosävelaskelinterval approximating 9/8 or 10/9
- sävelaskelinterval approximating 9/8 or 10/9
- kokoaskelinterval approximating 9/8 or 10/9
German Ganzton
- Ganztoninterval approximating 9/8 or 10/9
Norwegian heltone
- heltoneinterval approximating 9/8 or 10/9
Polish cały ton
- cały toninterval approximating 9/8 or 10/9
Cite this entry
whole tone. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whole%20tone
“whole tone.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whole%20tone. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “whole tone,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/whole%20tone.
Source: whole tone on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.