intonation

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: in=to=na=tion

CIDE DICTIONARY

intonation, n. [See 1st Intonate.].

 A thundering; thunder.  Bailey.  [1913 Webster]

intonation, n. [Cf. F. intonation. See Intone.].

•  The act of sounding the tones of the musical scale.  [1913 Webster]
•  The manner of speaking, especially the placement of emphasis, the cadence, and the rise and fall of the pitch of the voice while speaking.  [PJC]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

intonation, n.
1 modulation of the voice; accent.
2 the act of intoning.
3 accuracy of pitch in playing or singing (has good intonation).
4 the opening phrase of a plainsong melody.

Derivative

intonational adj.

Etymology

med.L intonatio (as INTONE)

THESAURUS

intonation

AF, accent, accentuation, adaptation, arrangement, articulation, audio frequency, bel canto, bravura, cantando, choral singing, coloratura, croon, crooning, delivery, demilegato, emphasis, execution, expression, fingering, folk singing, frequency, fundamental, fundamental tone, glissando, grammatical accent, harmonic, harmonization, hum, humming, ictus, inflection, instrumentation, intonation pattern, legato, lyricism, mezzo staccato, modulation, monotone, monotony, music-making, operatic singing, orchestration, overtone, parlando, partial, partial tone, performance, phrasing, pianism, pitch, pitch accent, pizzicato, preparation, pronunciation, rendering, rendition, repercussion, resolution, rhetorical accent, rhythmical accent, rubato, scat, scat singing, setting, singing, slur, sol-fa, sol-fa exercise, solfeggio, solmization, solution, song, speech tune, spiccato, staccato, stress accent, stress arsis, suprasegmental, suspension, thesis, tone, tone accent, tone painting, tonelessness, tonic sol-fa, touch, transcription, vocal music, vocalization, warbling, yodel, yodeling

ROGET THESAURUS

intonation

Voice

N voice, vocality, organ, lungs, bellows, good voice, fine voice, powerful voice, musical voice, intonation, tone of voice, vocalization, cry, strain, utterance, prolation, exclamation, ejaculation, vociferation, ecphonesis, enunciation, articulation, articulate sound, distinctness, clearness, of articulation, stage whisper, delivery, accent, accentuation, emphasis, stress, broad accent, strong accent, pure accent, native accent, foreign accent, pronunciation, homonym, orthoepy, cacoepy, euphony, gastriloquism, ventriloquism, ventriloquist, polyphonism, polyphonist, phonology, vocal, phonetic, oral, ejaculatory, articulate, distinct, stertorous, euphonious, how sweetly sounds the voice of a good woman, the organ of the soul, thy voice is a celestial melody.

Sound

N sound, noise, strain, accent, twang, intonation, tone, cadence, sonorousness, audibility, resonance, voice, aspirate, ideophone, rough breathing, acoustics, phonics, phonetics, phonology, phonography, diacoustics, diaphonics, phonetism, sounding, soniferous, sonorous, sonorific, resonant, audible, distinct, stertorous, phonetic, phonic, phonocamptic, a thousand trills and quivering sounds, forensis strepitus.

Concord

N concord, accord, harmony, symphony, homologue, agreement, sympathy, empathy, response, union, unison, unity, bonds of harmony, peace, unanimity, league, happy family, rapprochement, reunion, amity, alliance, entente cordiale, good understanding, conciliation, peacemaker, intercessor, mediator, concordant, congenial, agreeing, in accord, harmonious, united, cemented, banded together, allied, friendly, fraternal, conciliatory, at one with, of one mind, at peace, in still water, tranquil, with one voice, in concert with, hand in hand, on one's side, commune periculum concordiam parit, melody concord, melody, rhythm, measure, rhyme, pitch, timbre, intonation, tone, scale, gamut, diapason, diatonic chromatic scale, enharmonic scale, key, clef, chords, modulation, temperament, syncope, syncopation, preparation, suspension, resolution, staff, stave, line, space, brace, bar, rest, appoggiato, appoggiatura, acciaccatura, note, musical note, notes of a scale, sharp, flat, natural, high note, low note, interval, semitone, second, third, fourth, diatessaron, breve, semibreve, minim, crotchet, quaver, semiquaver, demisemiquaver, hemidemisemiquaver, sustained note, drone, burden, tonic, key note, leading note, fundamental note, supertonic, mediant, dominant, submediant, subdominant, octave, tetrachord, major key, minor key, major scale, minor scale, major mode, minor mode, passage, phrase, concord, harmony, emmeleia, unison, unisonance, chime, homophony, euphony, euphonism, tonality, consonance, consent, part, harmony, harmonics, thorough-bass, fundamental-bass, counterpoint, faburden, piece of music, composer, harmonist, contrapuntist (musician), harmonious, harmonical, in concord, in tune, in concert, unisonant, concentual, symphonizing, isotonic, homophonous, assonant, ariose, consonant, measured, rhythmical, diatonic, chromatic, enharmonic, melodious, musical, melic, tuneful, tunable, sweet, dulcet, canorous, mellow, mellifluous, soft, clear, clear as a bell, silvery, euphonious, euphonic, euphonical, symphonious, enchanting fine-toned, full-toned, silver-toned, harmoniously, in harmony, as one, the hidden soul of harmony.