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tonalité

tone, tonality

noun toh-nah-lee-TEH Rare

Also means

dial tone

Usage Note

Tonalité covers the musical concept of key or tonality, the overall tone or mood of a text, and the dial tone heard on a phone line. In music education it contrasts with modalité. The phrase écouter la tonalité specifically means to listen for the dial tone before dialling.

Examples

"La tonalité de ce morceau est mélancolique."

Natural Translation

The tonality of this piece is melancholic.

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