timbre
noun/ˈtæmbə(r)/
/ˈtæmbər/
(formal)- the quality of sound that is produced by a particular voice or musical instrument
- the deep timbre of his voice
Extra ExamplesTopics Languagec2, Musicc2- Differing timbres ensure that we are able to distinguish between notes produced by a flute and a viola.
- Timbre is what makes one instrument or voice sound different from another.
Word Originmid 19th cent.: from French, from medieval Greek timbanon, from Greek tumpanon ‘drum’.Definitions on the go
Look up any word in the dictionary offline, anytime, anywhere with the Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary app.
Check pronunciation:
timbre