gamut

[ gam-uht ]

noun

1. the entire scale or range:

   the gamut of dramatic emotion from grief to joy.

   Synonyms: extent, reach, scope, breadth, sweep

2. Music.
   1. the whole series of recognized musical notes.
   2. the major scale.

gamut

/ ˈgæmət /

noun

1. entire range or scale, as of emotions
2. music
   1. a scale, esp (in medieval theory) one starting on the G on the bottom line of the bass staff
   2. the whole range of notes
3. physics the range of chromaticities that can be obtained by mixing three colours

Word History and Origins

Origin of gamut¹

First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Medieval Latin; contraction of gamma ut, equivalent to gamma, used to represent the first or lowest tone (G) in the medieval scale + ut (later do ); the notes of the scale ( ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si ) being named from a Latin hymn to St. John the Baptist: Ut queant laxis re sonare fibris. Mi ra gestorum fa muli tuorum, Sol ve polluti la bii reatum, S ancte I ohannes

Word History and Origins

Origin of gamut¹

C15: from Medieval Latin, changed from gamma ut, from gamma, the lowest note of the hexachord as established by Guido d'Arezzo + ut (now, doh ), the first of the notes of the scale ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si, derived from a Latin hymn to St John: Ut queant laxis re sonare fibris, Mi ra gestorum fa muli tuorum, Sol ve polluti la bi reatum, S ancte I ohannes

Example Sentences

Other collections run the gamut, from a mix of poppies to culinary herbs, or easy-to-grow vegetable seeds for the beginning gardener.

From Los Angeles Times

In today’s stand-up comedy scene, a booming industry embracing a gamut of personalities and viewpoints, does speaking truth to power remain part of the job description?

From Los Angeles Times

That’s how I went into trying to choose what bathrooms made sense for this project, and I wanted to run the gamut as much as I could.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s crazy — you’re scrolling and you’re laughing at tweets, but then the next tweet will be people self-immolating in response to the genocide of Palestinian people, or the gamut of things at the border.

From Los Angeles Times

"How to Die Alone" unleashes the breadth of Rothwell’s abilities, traveling a gamut of feelings as Melissa clumsily leaps from one risk to the next.

From Salon

Related Words

• spectrum