unison
pronunciation
How to pronounce unison in British English:
UK [ˈju:nɪsn]
How to pronounce unison in American English:
US [ˈjunɪsən, -zən]
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- Noun:
- corresponding exactly
- occurring together or simultaneously
- (music) two or more sounds or tones at the same pitch or in octaves
Word Origin
- unison
- unison: [16] Unison originated as a musical term, denoting ‘of the same sound’. It comes via Old French unison from late Latin ūnisonus, a compound adjective formed from ūnus ‘one’ and sonus ‘sound’ (source of English sound). The metaphorical sense ‘agreement, concord’ emerged in the 17th century.=> sound
- unison (n.)
- 1570s, "note having the same pitch as another; identity in pitch of two or more sounds; interval between tones of the same pitch," especially the interval of an octave, from Middle French unisson "unison, accord of sound" (16c.) or directly from Medieval Latin unisonus "having one sound, sounding the same," from Late Latin unisonius "in immediate sequence in the scale, monotonous," from Latin uni- "one" (see one) + sonus "sound" (see sound (n.1)). Figurative sense of "harmonious agreement" is first attested 1640s.
Example
- 1. Raising capital standards in unison must be one of their most important goals .
- 2. As ever , the europeans would exert more moral influence if they acted in unison .
- 3. Prophetically he warned of a " panic " if mortgage investors should sell in unison .
- 4. But beijing has shown almost no willingness to act in unison with a us whose motives it mistrusts .
- 5. When its people recognise a challenge and agree on a solution , they often act quickly and in unison .