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Tone

3 stages from Greek to English.

Today it means a musical or vocal sound; a general character

Where does the word "tone" come from? It comes from Greek tonos, passing through Latin before entering English (1300s).

tonos→tonus→tone

Greek · ancient

"stretching, tension"

Greek, from 'teinein', to stretch, like a string

Latin · ancient

a stretched string produces a note; came to English via Old French 'ton'

English · 1300s

"a musical sound"

'tone of voice' dates from the 1600s

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Tone’s story begins in Greek: tonos meant “stretching, tension.” Greek, from 'teinein', to stretch, like a string. By ancient, the word had taken hold in Latin as tonus. A stretched string produces a note; came to English via Old French 'ton'. It reached English by 1300s as tone. 'tone of voice' dates from the 1600s. Today, tone means a musical or vocal sound; a general character.