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Showing results for octave. Search instead for ottavas.
Definitions

octave

[ok-tiv, -tayv] / ˈɒk tɪv, -teɪv /
NOUN
rhythmic interval
Synonyms


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The primary theme repeats a climbing four-note figure three times before a sudden plunge of a full octave.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

The emotion holds center stage, backed by adamant violins and horns and sneaky melodies that vault up an octave to hit surprising notes.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 6, 2024

It became a defining song for the genre, marrying Thomas's gospel-trained, four octave vocals to a pulsing electronic beat.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2024

What if that same octave were equally divided into 14 tones, or 16?

From New York Times ● Feb. 11, 2024

Notes that are one octave apart are so closely related to each other that musicians give them the same name.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

An illustration shows middle C having the scent of a rose; the C two octaves higher, jasmine; in the rumbly bass, clove and vanilla.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026

However, in one research project, astronomer Mark Whittle compressed the first million years of the universe into 10 seconds, shifted up by 50 octaves so that the human ear could hear.

From Salon ● Jun. 3, 2025

Now that she had it, she had to learn to play the guitar and sing … in a voice a few octaves higher than her usual.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 3, 2025

This excitation triggers the generation of harmonic electronic states that give rise to single photons -- similar to how musical harmonics produce notes across multiple octaves.

From Science Daily ● Apr. 23, 2024

While each instrument is limited in range to fewer than two octaves, all together, from bass bars to soprano glockenspiel, the ensemble covers six octaves, creating an entire orchestra!

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin




Vocabulary lists containing octave


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