atonality

UK:*UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations/ˌeɪtəʊˈnælɪtɪ/US:USA pronunciation: IPA and respellingUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˌeɪtoʊˈnælɪti/ ,USA pronunciation: respelling(ā′tō nal′i tē)


WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
a•to•nal•i•ty /ˌeɪtoʊˈnælɪti/USA pronunciation  n. [uncountable]
  1. music that does not rely on tonal centers or keys.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
a•to•nal•i•ty  (ā′tō nal′i tē),USA pronunciation n. [Music.]
  1. Music and Dancethe absence of key or tonal center.
  2. Music and Dancean atonal principle or style of composition.
  • atonal + -ity 1920–25

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
atonality / ˌeɪtəʊˈnælɪtɪ ˌæ-/
  1. absence of or disregard for an established musical key in a composition
  2. the principles of composition embodying this and providing a radical alternative to the diatonic system

Compare tonality
'atonality' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Expressionism - Schoenberg - atonal - atonalism - jazz - tonalist - tonality

Forum discussions with the word(s) "atonality" in the title:


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