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Webster 1913 Edition

Diatonic

Diˊa-ton′ic

(dīˊȧ-tŏn′ĭk)
,
Adj.
[L.
diatonicus
,
diatonus
, Gr. [GREEK], [GREEK], fr. [GREEK] to stretch out;
διά
through + [GREEK] to stretch: cf. F.
diatonique
. See
Tone
.]
(Mus.)
Pertaining to the scale of eight tones, the eighth of which is the octave of the first.
Diatonic scale
(Mus.)
,
a scale consisting of eight sounds with seven intervals, of which two are semitones and five are whole tones; a modern major or minor scale, as distinguished from the
chromatic
scale.

Webster 1828 Edition

Diatonic

DIATONIC

,
Adj.
[Gr., by or through, sound.] Ascending or descending, as in sound, or from sound to sound. This epithet is given to a scale or gammut, to intervals of a certain kind, or to music composed of these intervals; as a diatonic series; a diatonic interval; diatonic melody or harmony. It is applied to ordinary music, containing only the two greater and lesser tones, and the greater semitone.

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