diapason Hear it!

diapason definition

dia·pa·son (dī′ə pā′zən, -sən)

noun

    1. the entire range of a musical instrument or voice
    2. the entire range of some activity, emotion, etc.
  2. one of the principal stops of an organ, covering the instrument's complete range and producing its characteristic tone quality
  3. a swelling burst of harmony
  4. a standard of musical pitch
  5. a tuning fork
  6. Obsolete the interval of an octave
  7. Obsolete complete harmony

Etymology: ME diapasoun < L diapason < Gr diapasōn, contr. < hē dia pasōn chordōn symphōnia, concord through all of the notes < dia, through + pasōn, gen. pl. of pas, all

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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