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Webster's New World College Dictionary » intonational
intonational
Variant of intonation
intonation
definition
in·to·na·tion (in′tō nā′s̸hən, -tə-)
noun
- the act of intoning
- the quality of singing or playing tones in or out of tune with regard to a given standard of pitch
- the opening words of a Gregorian chant
- the singing of these
- Linguis.
- the system of significant levels and variations in pitch sequences within an utterance
- the type of pitch used at the end of a spoken sentence or phrase to ask a question with a rising intonation
Etymology: ML intonatio
Related Forms:
- intonational in′·to·na′·tional adjective
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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