"subtonic" meaning in English

See subtonic in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adjective

Etymology: From sub- + tonic. Etymology templates: {{prefix|en|sub|tonic}} sub- + tonic Head templates: {{en-adj|-}} subtonic (not comparable)
  1. (phonetics, dated) Of or pertaining to imperfectly articulated sounds or utterances that are inaudible or barely audible, as characterized by Dr. James Rush (Guide to Pronunciation, 1833). Tags: dated, not-comparable
    Sense id: en-subtonic-en-adj-Xb~qDkwd Categories (other): Phonetics, English terms prefixed with sub- Disambiguation of English terms prefixed with sub-: 36 26 38 Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, phonetics, phonology, sciences

Noun

Forms: subtonics [plural]
Etymology: From sub- + tonic. Etymology templates: {{prefix|en|sub|tonic}} sub- + tonic Head templates: {{en-noun}} subtonic (plural subtonics)
  1. (music) The note immediately below the upper note of a musical scale.
    Sense id: en-subtonic-en-noun--4XJfVrf Categories (other): Music, English entries with incorrect language header, English terms prefixed with sub-, Pages with 1 entry, Pages with entries Disambiguation of English entries with incorrect language header: 27 46 27 Disambiguation of English terms prefixed with sub-: 36 26 38 Disambiguation of Pages with 1 entry: 25 47 28 Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 24 48 28 Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music
  2. (phonetics, dated) An imperfectly articulated sound or utterance, as characterized by Dr. James Rush (Guide to Pronunciation, 1833). Tags: dated
    Sense id: en-subtonic-en-noun-eUNGMW6C Categories (other): Phonetics, English terms prefixed with sub- Disambiguation of English terms prefixed with sub-: 36 26 38 Topics: human-sciences, linguistics, phonetics, phonology, sciences

Inflected forms

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "sub",
        "3": "tonic"
      },
      "expansion": "sub- + tonic",
      "name": "prefix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From sub- + tonic.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "subtonic (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Phonetics",
          "orig": "en:Phonetics",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "36 26 38",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms prefixed with sub-",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Of or pertaining to imperfectly articulated sounds or utterances that are inaudible or barely audible, as characterized by Dr. James Rush (Guide to Pronunciation, 1833)."
      ],
      "id": "en-subtonic-en-adj-Xb~qDkwd",
      "links": [
        [
          "phonetics",
          "phonetics"
        ],
        [
          "imperfect",
          "imperfect"
        ],
        [
          "articulate",
          "articulate"
        ],
        [
          "sound",
          "sound"
        ],
        [
          "utterance",
          "utterance"
        ],
        [
          "inaudible",
          "inaudible"
        ],
        [
          "barely",
          "barely"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(phonetics, dated) Of or pertaining to imperfectly articulated sounds or utterances that are inaudible or barely audible, as characterized by Dr. James Rush (Guide to Pronunciation, 1833)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "dated",
        "not-comparable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "linguistics",
        "phonetics",
        "phonology",
        "sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "subtonic"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "sub",
        "3": "tonic"
      },
      "expansion": "sub- + tonic",
      "name": "prefix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From sub- + tonic.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "subtonics",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "subtonic (plural subtonics)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Music",
          "orig": "en:Music",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "27 46 27",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "36 26 38",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms prefixed with sub-",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "25 47 28",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "24 48 28",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The note immediately below the upper note of a musical scale."
      ],
      "id": "en-subtonic-en-noun--4XJfVrf",
      "links": [
        [
          "music",
          "music"
        ],
        [
          "note",
          "note"
        ],
        [
          "musical scale",
          "musical scale"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(music) The note immediately below the upper note of a musical scale."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "entertainment",
        "lifestyle",
        "music"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Phonetics",
          "orig": "en:Phonetics",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "36 26 38",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English terms prefixed with sub-",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An imperfectly articulated sound or utterance, as characterized by Dr. James Rush (Guide to Pronunciation, 1833)."
      ],
      "id": "en-subtonic-en-noun-eUNGMW6C",
      "links": [
        [
          "phonetics",
          "phonetics"
        ],
        [
          "imperfect",
          "imperfect"
        ],
        [
          "articulate",
          "articulate"
        ],
        [
          "sound",
          "sound"
        ],
        [
          "utterance",
          "utterance"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(phonetics, dated) An imperfectly articulated sound or utterance, as characterized by Dr. James Rush (Guide to Pronunciation, 1833)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "dated"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "linguistics",
        "phonetics",
        "phonology",
        "sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "subtonic"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms prefixed with sub-",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "sub",
        "3": "tonic"
      },
      "expansion": "sub- + tonic",
      "name": "prefix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From sub- + tonic.",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "-"
      },
      "expansion": "subtonic (not comparable)",
      "name": "en-adj"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adj",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English dated terms",
        "en:Phonetics"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Of or pertaining to imperfectly articulated sounds or utterances that are inaudible or barely audible, as characterized by Dr. James Rush (Guide to Pronunciation, 1833)."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "phonetics",
          "phonetics"
        ],
        [
          "imperfect",
          "imperfect"
        ],
        [
          "articulate",
          "articulate"
        ],
        [
          "sound",
          "sound"
        ],
        [
          "utterance",
          "utterance"
        ],
        [
          "inaudible",
          "inaudible"
        ],
        [
          "barely",
          "barely"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(phonetics, dated) Of or pertaining to imperfectly articulated sounds or utterances that are inaudible or barely audible, as characterized by Dr. James Rush (Guide to Pronunciation, 1833)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "dated",
        "not-comparable"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "linguistics",
        "phonetics",
        "phonology",
        "sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "subtonic"
}

{
  "categories": [
    "English adjectives",
    "English countable nouns",
    "English entries with incorrect language header",
    "English lemmas",
    "English nouns",
    "English terms prefixed with sub-",
    "English uncomparable adjectives",
    "Pages with 1 entry",
    "Pages with entries"
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "sub",
        "3": "tonic"
      },
      "expansion": "sub- + tonic",
      "name": "prefix"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From sub- + tonic.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "subtonics",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "subtonic (plural subtonics)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "en:Music"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The note immediately below the upper note of a musical scale."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "music",
          "music"
        ],
        [
          "note",
          "note"
        ],
        [
          "musical scale",
          "musical scale"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(music) The note immediately below the upper note of a musical scale."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "entertainment",
        "lifestyle",
        "music"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        "English dated terms",
        "en:Phonetics"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "An imperfectly articulated sound or utterance, as characterized by Dr. James Rush (Guide to Pronunciation, 1833)."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "phonetics",
          "phonetics"
        ],
        [
          "imperfect",
          "imperfect"
        ],
        [
          "articulate",
          "articulate"
        ],
        [
          "sound",
          "sound"
        ],
        [
          "utterance",
          "utterance"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(phonetics, dated) An imperfectly articulated sound or utterance, as characterized by Dr. James Rush (Guide to Pronunciation, 1833)."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "dated"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "human-sciences",
        "linguistics",
        "phonetics",
        "phonology",
        "sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "subtonic"
}

Download raw JSONL data for subtonic meaning in English (2.9kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-02-08 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-02-01 using wiktextract (f492ef9 and 9905b1f). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.