SEMITONE

semitone. Semitone, n. half a tone, half a note in music

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Sem″i‐tone (?), n. [[Pref. semi- + tone. CF. Hemitone.]] (Mus.) Half a tone; — the name commonly applied to the smaller intervals of the diatonic scale. ☞ There is an impropriety in the use of this word, and half step is now preferred. See Tone. J. S. Dwight.