WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
mi′nor scale′,
- Music and DanceAlso called harmonic minor scale. a scale having half steps between the second and third, fifth and sixth, and seventh and eighth degrees, with whole steps for the other intervals.
- Music and DanceAlso called melodic minor scale. a scale having the third degree lowered a half step when ascending, and the seventh, sixth, and third degrees lowered a half step when descending.
- 1885–90
'minor scale' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
A, a
- B, b
- C, c
- D, d
- E, e
- F, f
- G, g
- diatonic
- harmonic minor scale
- mediant
- melodic minor scale
- minor
- minor key
- small
- subdominant
- submediant
- subtonic
- supertonic
- tonic