diapason

[ dahy-uh-pey-zuhn, -suhn ]

noun

, Music.

1. a full, rich outpouring of melodious sound.
2. the compass of a voice or instrument.
3. a fixed standard of pitch.
4. either of two principal timbres or stops of a pipe organ, one of full, majestic tone open diapason and the other of strong, flutelike tone stopped diapason.
5. any of several other organ stops.
6. a tuning fork.

diapason

/ ˌdaɪəˈpeɪzən; -ˈsɒn-; ˌdaɪəpeɪˈzɒnɪk; -ˈpeɪsən /

noun

1. either of two stops ( open and stopped diapason ) usually found throughout the compass of a pipe organ that give it its characteristic tone colour
2. the compass of an instrument or voice
3. chiefly in French usage
   1. a standard pitch used for tuning, esp the now largely obsolete one of A above middle C = 435 hertz, known as diapason normal ( French ( djapazɔ̃ nɔrmal )
   2. a tuning fork or pitch pipe
4. (in classical Greece) an octave

Derived Forms

• diaˈpasonal, adjective

Other Words From

• dia·pason·al adjective
• subdi·a·pason noun
• subdi·a·pason·al adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of diapason¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English diapasoun, dyapason, from Latin diapāsōn “the whole octave,” from Greek dià pāsôn (chordôn) “through all (the notes),” short for hē dià pāsôn chordôn symphōnía “the concord through all the notes of the scale”

Word History and Origins

Origin of diapason¹

C14: from Latin: the whole octave, from Greek: ( hē ) dia pasōn ( khordōn sumphōnia ) (concord) through all (the notes), from dia through + pas all

Example Sentences

We have worked this out for all classes of tone—string, flute and diapason—and the law holds good in every instance.

From Project Gutenberg

Willis even went so far as to slot all of his Diapason pipes, and Cavaill-Coll sometimes adopted a similar practice.

From Project Gutenberg

The leathered Diapason, indeed, is now attaining a zenith of popularity both in England and America.

From Project Gutenberg

This was a large metal Diapason of ordinary construction, voiced on heavy wind pressure.

From Project Gutenberg

By no other means known to-day can anything approaching such grand and dignified Diapason tone be produced.

From Project Gutenberg

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