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diapason

(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.
one of the principal stops of an organ, covering the instrument's complete range and producing its characteristic tone quality
a swelling burst of harmony
a standard of musical pitch
a tuning fork
Obsolete the interval of an octave
Obsolete complete harmony

Origin: 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

See diapason in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

A full, rich outpouring of harmonious sound.
The entire range of an instrument or voice.
Either of the two principal stops on a pipe organ that form the tonal basis for the entire scale of the instrument.
The interval and the consonance of an octave.
A standard indication of pitch.
A tuning fork.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English diapasoun

Origin: , from Latin diapāsōn, the whole octave

Origin: , from Greek dia pāsōn (khordōn), through all (the notes)

Origin: : dia, through; see dia-

Origin: + pāsōn

Origin: , feminine genitive pl. of pās, every; see pant- in Indo-European roots

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