octave Meaning & Definition
What Does Octave Mean?
Octave is a noun that means An interval of twelve semitones spanning eight degrees of the diatonic scale, representing a doubling or halving in pitch frequency. It is also used to mean The pitch an octave higher than a given pitch. As a verb, it means Alternative form of octavate. As an adjective, it means Consisting of eight; eight in number.
Word Facts for Octave
| Part of speech | noun, verb, adjective |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈɒktɪv/ |
| Synonyms | musical octave |
| Plural | octaves |
| Verb forms | octaves, octaving, octaved |
Octave Definition (Noun)
- An interval of twelve semitones spanning eight degrees of the diatonic scale, representing a doubling or halving in pitch frequency.
The melody jumps up an octave at the beginning, then later drops back down an octave.
- The pitch an octave higher than a given pitch.
The bass starts on a low E, and the tenor comes in on the octave.
- A coupler on an organ which allows the organist to sound the note an octave above the note of the key pressed (cf sub-octave)
- A poetic stanza consisting of eight lines; usually used as one part of a sonnet.
- The eighth defensive position, with the sword hand held at waist height, and the tip of the sword out straight at knee level.
- The day that is one week after a feast day in the Latin rite of the Catholic Church.
- An eight-day period beginning on a feast day in the Latin rite of the Catholic Church.
- A small cask of wine, one eighth of a pipe.
- An octonion.
- Any of a number of coherent-noise functions of differing frequency that are added together to form Perlin noise.
- The subjective vibration of a planet.
Octave as a Verb
- Alternative form of octavate.
Octave as an Adjective
- Consisting of eight; eight in number.
Synonyms of Octave
Octave in a Sentence
The melody jumps up an octave at the beginning, then later drops back down an octave.
The singer was known for astounding clarity over her entire five-octave range.
The octave has a pitch ratio of 2:1.
The bass starts on a low E, and the tenor comes in on the octave.
Word Forms & Grammar
octave (plural octaves)
octave (third-person singular simple present octaves, present participle octaving, simple past and past participle octaved)
octave (not comparable)
Words That Rhyme With Octave
Origin of Octave
From Latin octavus (“eighth”). Doublet of octavo, ochava, and oitava.
Octave: Your Questions Answered
Is octave a noun or a verb?
Octave is mainly used as a noun, but it can also be used as a verb and an adjective.
What is another word for octave?
Words with a similar meaning to octave include musical octave. See the full list of octave synonyms and antonyms.
What is the plural of octave?
The plural of octave is octaves.
What is the past tense of octave?
The past tense of octave is octaved. The present participle is octaving.