sixth chord

noun

, Music.

1. an inversion of a triad in which the second note (next above the root) is in the bass.

sixth chord

noun

1. (in classical harmony) the first inversion of the triad, in which the note next above the root appears in the bass See also added sixth

Word History and Origins

Origin of sixth chord¹

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

For anyone who’s only spent time with the television “M*A*S*H,” the title sequence of the film feels immediately familiar: an acoustic guitar is heard arpeggiating a minor sixth chord as Army helicopters appear in midflight, carrying wounded soldiers.

From The New Yorker