harmony English · revision 7892

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1380|origins=grc ἁρμονία}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈhɑːmə.ni/ ''(UK)''; /ˈhɑ̟ɹ.mə.ni/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English armonye, [[bor|fro|armonie|t=harmony; a musical instrument]], harmonie,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from Latin [[m|la|harmonia]], from Greek [[m|grc|ἁρμονία|tr=harmonía|t=joining, agreement, concord of sounds]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) related to harmós, a joint, fastening,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Cresswell 2021) from PIE [[ine-pro|*h₂er-|alt=*ar-|t=to fit together]] (see [[arm]]).^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A concord of sounds, music, melody: about 1380, in Chaucer's ''Parlement of Foules'';^(Barnhart 1988) about 1384 in the OED.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Greek word was used of the joining of ship's planks and of settled government, and Harmonia was the personification of music.^(Etymonline) Agreement, accord, is from about 1385, in Usk's ''Testament of Love'',^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and the combination of notes to form chords is first recorded in Trevisa before 1398;^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline dates modern scientific harmony to the 16th century.^(Etymonline) The combination of parts in a pleasing whole is from about 1532,^(OED 1989) and agreement of feeling, concord, from 1588.^(OED 1989) ''In harmony'', in agreement, is from 1816.^(OED 1989) The plural is harmonies.^(Collins 2023) In East Suffolk dialect it meant uproar or noise.^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1380 – music, melody.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1385 – agreement.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1398 – chords.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1532 – a pleasing combination.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1816 – in harmony.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[agreement|alt=Agreement]] in feeling or opinion; accord.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A pleasing combination or arrangement of parts.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(music)'' A combination of [[note|alt=notes]] sounded together to form [[chord|alt=chords]], or the study of chord structure.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[disharmony]]

+ * [[harmonic]]

+ * [[harmonics]]

+ * [[harmonious]]

+ * [[harmonist]]

+ * [[harmonize]]

+ * [[harmonise]]

+ * [[disharmonize]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[harmonica]]

+ * [[arm]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}