Overtones Meaning in English
word · lemma: overtone
ˈoʊvɝˌtoʊnz
OH-ver-tohnz
ˈəʊvətˌəʊnz
OH-vuh-tohnz
Definition
An overtone is a musical sound that is higher in pitch than the main note, or, in a figurative sense, a subtle or hidden meaning or feeling that accompanies something said or done.
Usage & Nuances
Used in music theory (technical/formal) and metaphorically in everyday speech. In the figurative sense, 'overtones' often appears as 'political overtones', 'sexual overtones', etc. The singular 'overtone' is rare outside music.
Spanish: armonía superior - matiz (sentido figurado)Portuguese (BR): harmônico superior - subentendido (sentido figurado)Portuguese (PT): harmónico superior - matiz (sentido figurado)Chinese (Simplified): 泛音 - 暗示（引申义）Chinese (Traditional): 泛音 - 暗示（引申義）Hindi: अतिरिक्त स्वर - निहित अर्थArabic: النغمة العليا - إيحاء (معنى مجازي)Bengali: অতিধ্বনি - গোপন অর্থ (রূপক অর্থে)Russian: обертоны - скрытый смысл (перен.)Japanese: 倍音 - 含意（比喩的）Vietnamese: hòa âm - ý nghĩa hàm ý (nghĩa bóng)Korean: 배음 - (은근한) 뉘앙스Turkish: üst sesler - ima (yan anlam)Urdu: اوورٹون - پوشیدہ معنی (مجازاً)Indonesian: nadai - makna tersembunyi (kiasan)
Example Sentences
The singer's voice had beautiful overtones.
basic
Some words carry hidden overtones.
basic
The painting has religious overtones.
basic
His comment had some political overtones.
natural
Jazz music is known for its rich overtones.
natural
There are romantic overtones in their friendship.
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