Octave Meaning
/ˈɒktɪv/Definition, CEFR level B1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounAn interval of twelve semitones spanning eight degrees of the diatonic scale, representing a doubling or halving in pitch frequency.
nounThe pitch an octave higher than a given pitch.
Sentence Examples
Certain pieces of music would be more melodious an octave higher.
There are eight notes in an octave.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The singer's voice spanned an ____, covering eight full notes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The soprano effortlessly sang a full ____ above the written note during the final aria.
Word Origin & History
From Latin octavus (“eighth”). Doublet of octavo, ochava, and oitava.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"With mournful melody it continued this octave."
— a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC:
"If they always do a lateral parry quarte, and never a semicircular octave, that gives you an opening."
— 2009, Ray Finkleman, (Please provide the book title or journal name):
"[…] the Chamberlains' records of the companies' visits to their towns are, for the most part, not precisely dates, but merely group them together […] within their annual accounting period which normally […] ran from Michaelmas (29 September) to Michaelmas, or its octave (6 October)."
— 2000, John Southworth, Shakespeare the Player:
"It was extended to the entire Church by 1814, and then in 1913 the feast was transferred to September 15, the octave day of the Birth of Mary and the day after the Exaltation of the Cross."
— 2014, Jennifer Gregory Miller, (Please provide the book title or journal name):
"Mercury then joins its higher octave and generous counterpart Jupiter early next week, and it opens gates of opportunity."
— 2016, Kristin Fontana, The Beach Reporter:
Explore More B1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The singer's voice spanned an ____, covering eight full notes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The soprano effortlessly sang a full ____ above the written note during the final aria.