VocabauraVOCABAURA

overtone

noun · verb

Simple meaning

A harmonic with a frequency that is a multiple of the fundamental frequency.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

ohvertohn

Say the bold part a little louder.

US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ˈoʊvɚtoʊn

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. physicsmusic

    A harmonic with a frequency that is a multiple of the fundamental frequency

  2. physicsmusic

    A tone whose frequency is an integer multiple of another; a member of the harmonic series.

  3. An implicit message (in a film, book, verbal discussion, or similar) perceived subtly alongside, but not overwhelming, the explicit message.

verb

  1. transitive

    To give an overtone to.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
C2 · Proficient (estimated)

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Aura for this meaning

This meaning: A harmonic with a frequency that is a multiple of the fundamental frequency

Used this way, overtone is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. This is a scientific use: it names something precisely within a field of study, so it appears in research and teaching more than in conversation.

Emotional tone
Neutral
Formality
Specialist/technical
Intensity
Not strongly marked
How common
Specialized
Connotation
Clinical and technical
Usage feel
Technical and specialized

Where it naturally appears

  • Science
  • Academic writing
  • Technical/specialist writing

Usage note

In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.

Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.

More ways to use overtone

  • “Overtones of despair.”noun

Share your sentence

Write your own example sentence using “overtone”. We review each one before it appears.

Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

overtone singingfirst overtoneovertone seriessecond overtonereligious overtonethird overtonepolitical overtoneovertone structure

Tap the highlighted word to open its own entry.

Use This Word

See how this word sounds in a real sentence.

Ask Vocabaura

Understand the word your way.

What Does It Mean Here?

Words can change meaning depending on context.

Use it yourself

Knowing “overtone” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.

Know the meaning? Practice using it in a real situation, free, no credits.

Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.