octave
pronunciation
How to pronounce octave in British English:
UK [ˈɒktɪv]
How to pronounce octave in American English:
US [ˈɑktɪv]
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- Noun:
- a feast day and the seven days following it
- a musical interval of eight tones
- a rhythmic group of eight lines of verse
Word Origin
- octave (n.)
- c. 1300, utaves (plural, via Anglo-French from popular Old French form oitieve, otaves), reformed in early 15c., from Medieval Latin octava, from Latin octava dies "eighth day," fem. of octavus "eighth," from octo (see eight). Originally "period of eight days after a festival," also "eighth day after a festival" (counting both days, by inclusive reckoning, thus if the festival was on a Sunday, the octaves would be the following Sunday). Verse sense of "stanza of eight lines" is from 1580s; musical sense of "note eight diatonic degrees above (or below) a given note" is first recorded 1650s, from Latin octava (pars) "eighth part." Formerly English eighth was used in this sense (mid-15c.)
Example
- 1. Disease machinery is a lower octave of the matrixes for all intents and purposes .
- 2. It was hard work . A glass of rich buffalo milk in the morning ; then four hours singing a raga in the lowest octave as the first part of up to 20 hours of practice .
- 3. A second trill charges forth , a major seventh higher than the first and is left behind involuntarily , the percussion trying to prevent the descent , before soloist and orchestra join forces to attempt a third outburst , an octave above the original .
- 4. For those who are ascending , you may call on the fourth octave of love to harmonize a disharmonious circumstance .
- 5. For those who are ascending , the sixth octave , when called upon , will assist one in dissolving those ties to others that do not serve one 's continued evolution .