relative minor

noun

, Music.

1. the minor key whose tonic is the sixth degree of a given major key.

Word History and Origins

Origin of relative minor¹

First recorded in 1810–20

Example Sentences

This means the substituted chord is the relative minor of the tonic chord.

From Literature

A minor key is called the relative minor of the major key that has the same key signature.

From Literature

It is easy to predict where the relative minor of a major key can be found.

From Literature

The pattern for the minor scale starts a half step plus a whole step lower than the major scale pattern, so a relative minor is always three half steps lower than its relative major.

From Literature

C minor is the relative minor of E flat major.

From Literature