chord

UK: /ˈkɔː^rd/ US: /kɔrd/ ,(kôrd)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

chord¹ /kɔrd/   n. [countable]

1. a feeling or emotion:
   Your story struck a sympathetic chord in me.
2. Mathematics the straight line between two points on a given curve.

chord² /kɔrd/   n. [countable]

1. Music and Dance a combination of three or more musical tones sounded at the same time.

See -chor-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

chord¹  (kôrd), n. 

1. a feeling or emotion:
   His story struck a chord of pity in the listeners.
2. Mathematics [Geom.] the line segment between two points on a given curve.
3. Civil Engineering, Building [Engin., Building Trades.] a principal member of a truss extending from end to end, usually one of a pair of such members, more or less parallel and connected by a web composed of various compression and tension members.
4. Aeronautics a straight line joining the trailing and leading edges of an airfoil section.
5. [Anat.] cord (def. 6).

• Greek chordé̄ gut, string; replacing cord in senses given
• Latin chorda
• Middle English 1350–1400

chord′ed, adj. 

chord²  (kôrd), n. 

1. Music and Dance a combination of usually three or more musical tones sounded simultaneously.

v.t. 

2. Music, Music and Dance to establish or play a chord or chords for (a particular harmony or song);
   harmonize or voice:
   How would you chord that in B flat?

• 1350–1400; earlier cord, Middle English, short for accord; ch- from chord¹

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

chord / kɔːd/ noun

1. a straight line connecting two points on a curve or curved surface
2. the line segment lying between two points of intersection of a straight line and a curve or curved surface
3. one of the principal members of a truss, esp one that lies along the top or the bottom
4. a variant spelling of cord
5. an emotional response, esp one of sympathy: the story struck the right chord
6. an imaginary straight line joining the leading edge and the trailing edge of an aerofoil
7. the string of a musical instrument

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin chorda, from Greek khordē gut, string; see cord

ˈchorded adjective

chord / kɔːd/ noun

the simultaneous sounding of a group of musical notes, usually three or more in number
See concord4, discord3

verb

1. (transitive) to provide (a melodic line) with chords

Etymology: 15th Century: short for accord; spelling influenced by chord¹

ˈchordal adjective