Tune and Tone Are the Same Word
A tune is a melody. The word is a variant of tone, and both come from a Greek string.
A tune is a melody, and *to tune* is to adjust pitch. *Tune* is simply a variant of *tone*, which comes from Greek *tonos*, a stretching — because the pitch of a string depends on how tightly it is stretched. Every use of *tone* in English, from a musical note to the tone of a voice to muscle tone, goes back to that tension. Tuning an engine or a radio borrows the same image of bringing something into correct adjustment.
- A melody. *A catchy tune.*
- To adjust pitch. *Tuning a guitar.*
- To adjust generally. *Tuning an engine.*
- Tone — the same word. *A tone.*
- Greek — *tonos*, a stretching. *The root.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | tune | A tune. |
| Verb | tune | Tuning. |
| Adjective | tuneful | Tuneful. |
| Related | tone | A tone. |
| Greek | tonos | A stretching. |
- He hummed a tune.Melody.
- The piano needs tuning.Pitch.
- Tonos means a stretching.Etymology.
The tonos family
- Tune and tone — pitch from string tension
- Tonic — in music a home note, in medicine a bracer
- Monotone — one unchanging pitch
- Baritone — a heavy-toned voice
- Muscle tone — the tension a resting muscle holds
A variant of *tone*, from Latin *tonus*, from Greek *tonos*, a stretching or tension.
Are tune and tone the same word?
Yes. Tune is a variant of tone, both from Greek tonos, a stretching.
Why does the root mean stretching?
Because the pitch of a string depends on its tension. Tighten it and the note rises.