Timbre meaning
Timbre is defined as the characteristic quality of tone that makes two voices or sounds different.
An example of timbre is the warm tone of Nat King Cole’s voice.
noun
The combination of qualities of a sound that distinguishes it from other sounds of the same pitch and volume.
noun
Distinctive character.
The timbre of the painter's work.
noun
The characteristic quality of sound that distinguishes one voice or musical instrument from another or one vowel sound from another: it is determined by the harmonics of the sound and is distinguished from the intensity and pitch.
noun
A quality of sound that distinguishes one voice or musical instrument from another. For example, MIDI synthesizers are multi-timbral, meaning that they can play multiple instruments simultaneously.
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Origin of timbre
- French from Old French drum, clapperless bell probably from Medieval Greek timbanon drum from Greek tumpanon kettledrum
From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition