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diapason

noun
di·​a·​pa·​son | \ ˌdī-ə-ˈpā-zᵊn How to pronounce diapason (audio) , -sᵊn\

Definition of diapason

1a : a burst of sound diapasons of laughter
b : the principal foundation stop in the organ extending through the complete range of the instrument
c(1) : the entire compass of musical tones
(2) : range, scope registers the full diapason of her responses— Mindy Aloff
2a : tuning fork
b : a standard of pitch
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Synonyms for diapason

Synonyms

gamut, range, scale, spectrum, spread, stretch

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Did You Know?

Diapason covers a wide range of meanings in English, almost all pertaining to music or sound. The word derives from the Greek roots dia-, which means "through" and occurs in such words as diameter and diagonal, and pasōn, the genitive feminine plural of pas, meaning "all." Pas is related to the prefix pan-, which is used in such words as pantheism and pandemic. In Greek, the phrase hē dia pasōn chordōn symphōnia translates literally to "the concord through all the notes," with the word concord here referring to a combination of tones that are heard simultaneously and produce an agreeable impression on the listener.

Examples of diapason in a Sentence

the survey ultimately recorded the full diapason of seemingly possible replies regarding sexual practices

First Known Use of diapason

circa 1501, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

History and Etymology for diapason

Middle English, from Latin, from Greek (hē) dia pasōn (chordōn symphōnia), literally, the concord through all the notes, from dia through + pasōn, genitive feminine plural of pas all — more at dia-, pan-

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More from Merriam-Webster on diapason

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about diapason

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