octave: Meaning and Definition of
oc•tave
Pronunciation: (ok'tiv, -tāv), [key]
— n.
-
- a tone on the eighth degree from a given tone.
- the interval encompassed by such tones.
- the harmonic combination of such tones.
- a series of tones, or of keys of an instrument, extending through this interval.
- a pipe-organ stop whose pipes give tones an octave above the normal pitch of the keys used.
- a series or group of eight.
- Also called
- a group of eight lines of verse, esp. the first eight lines of a sonnet in the Italian form. Cf.sestet(def. 1).
- a stanza of eight lines.
- the eighth of a series.
-
- the eighth day from a feast day, counting the feast day as the first.
- the period of eight days beginning with a feast day.
- one eighth of a pipe of wine.
- the eighth of eight defensive positions.
—adj.
- pitched an octave higher.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.