octachord

[ ok-tuh-kawrd ]

noun
  1. any musical instrument with eight strings.

  2. a diatonic series of eight tones.

Origin of octachord

1
First recorded in 1750–60, octachord is from the Greek word oktáchordos having eight strings. See octa-, chord1

Other words from octachord

  • oc·ta·chor·dal, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

British Dictionary definitions for octachord

octachord

/ (ˈɒktəˌkɔːd) /


noun
  1. an eight-stringed musical instrument

  2. a series of eight notes, esp a scale

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012