timbre

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Timbre is the unique quality that makes one sound different from another.

You might hear someone say "I love the timbre of her voice" - they mean the distinctive way she sounds when she sings. It's not just about how loud or soft she sings, but about what makes her voice stand out. For example, some singers have a warm and rich timbre, while others are brighter and more nasal. When musicians talk about timbre, they're usually thinking about instruments too - like the way a trumpet sounds different from a flute. It's a big part of why we can tell a recording of a piano apart from one made by an electric keyboard.

How common is "timbre"?

Word timbre is considered rare in modern English.
It appears most frequently in academic texts and less often in other writings.

Definitions

noun

The quality of a sound independent of its pitch and volume.
The pitch of a sound as heard by the ear, described relative to its absolute pitch.
Example: When someone speaks after inhaling helium, his voice has a higher timbre. With sulfur hexafluoride, the result is a lower timbre.
(heraldry, uncommon) The crest on a (helmet atop a) coat of arms.
Example: Quarterly the First quarter Siluer …, The second Siluer a Cheueron gules betweene three Castles Sables And to his timbre vpon his healme, an Elephants head in his proper Colours […]

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Real examples of "timbre" in context

Cillian Murphy on Christopher Nolan and playing Oppenheimer

Interview

that kind of timbre and that pitch that he had.

6:54

timbre

How common is "timbre"?

noun

Real examples of "timbre" in context

Cillian Murphy on Christopher Nolan and playing Oppenheimer

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