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gamut
gamut a complete scale of musical notes; the compass or range of a voice or instrument. Earlier, a scale consisting of seven overlapping hexachords, containing all the recognized notes used in medieval music, covering almost three octaves from bass G to treble E. The word comes from medieval Latin gamma ut, originally the name of the lowest note in the medieval scale (bass G an octave and a half below middle C), then applied to the whole range of notes used in medieval music. The Greek letter Γ (gamma) was used for bass G, with ut indicating that it was the first note in the lowest of the hexachords or six-note scales.
Notes in each hexachord were named using syllables of a Latin hymn for St John the Baptist's Day, in which each line began on the next note of the scale: ‘Ut queant laxis resonare fibris Mira gestorum famuli tuorum, Solve polluti labii reatum, Sancte Iohannes.’ A seventh note, si, was added later, from the initial letters of Sancte Iohannes. The scheme was adapted in the 19th century to form solmization systems such as the Tonic Sol-fa. The system of naming the notes of a scale by syllables is attributed to the Italian Benedictine monk and musical theorist Guido d'Arezzo (c.990–1050). run the gamut experience, display, or perform the complete range of something. |
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ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "gamut." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "gamut." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-gamut.html ELIZABETH KNOWLES. "gamut." The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. 2006. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O214-gamut.html |
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gamut
gamut.
1. Properly, the note G at the pitch now indicated by the lowest line of the bass staff. Greek G or ‘gamma’ was used for its designation, and as the note just mentioned was the ‘ut’ (‘doh’) of the lowest hexachord, this portmanteau word was adopted as a name for it. 2. By extension, the word came to be used as a comprehensive name for the whole series of hexachords as displayed in writing. 3. By a further extension it came to mean ‘scale’ in general (Fr. gamme). 4. Also came to mean the whole range of mus. sounds from the lowest to the highest; and to be applied in a metaphorical way to a singer's or actor's range, e.g. ‘He covered the whole gamut of tragic expression’. |
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MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "gamut." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "gamut." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-gamut.html MICHAEL KENNEDY and JOYCE BOURNE. "gamut." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Music. 1996. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O76-gamut.html |
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gamut
gam·ut / ˈgamət/ • n. (the gamut) 1. the complete range or scope of something: the whole gamut of human emotion. 2. Mus. a complete scale of musical notes; the compass or range of a voice or instrument. ∎ hist. a scale consisting of seven overlapping hexachords, containing all the recognized notes used in medieval music, covering almost three octaves from bass G to treble E. ∎ hist. the lowest note in this scale. PHRASES: run the gamut experience, display, or perform the complete range of something: wines that run the gamut from dry to sweet. |
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Cite this article
"gamut." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "gamut." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-gamut.html "gamut." The Oxford Pocket Dictionary of Current English. 2009. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O999-gamut.html |
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gamut
gamut (hist.) lowest note of the medieval musical scale XV; Guido d'Arezzo's ‘great scale’ comprising the seven hexachords and so all the notes used in medieval music XVI; (gen.) compass, range XVII. Earliest forms gammuthe, -othe, -outh(e), contr. of medL. gamma ut, i.e. gamma note one tone lower than A + UT.
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T. F. HOAD. "gamut." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. T. F. HOAD. "gamut." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-gamut.html T. F. HOAD. "gamut." The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1996. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O27-gamut.html |
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Gamut
Gamuta range or scale of musical notes. Examples: gamut of colours, 1824; of crime, 1859; of emotions; of Latin metre, 1864; of notes of music. |
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"Gamut." Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. 1985. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Gamut." Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. 1985. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2505300734.html "Gamut." Dictionary of Collective Nouns and Group Terms. 1985. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1G2-2505300734.html |
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gamut
gamut
•gamut
•imamate, marmot
•animate
•approximate, proximate
•estimate, guesstimate, underestimate
•illegitimate, legitimate
•intimate
•penultimate, ultimate
•primate • foumart • consummate
•Dermot
•discarnate, incarnate
•impregnate • rabbinate
•coordinate, inordinate, subordinate, superordinate
•infinite • laminate • effeminate
•discriminate • innominate
•determinate • Palatinate • pectinate
•obstinate • agglutinate • designate
•tribunate • importunate • Arbuthnot
•bicarbonate • umbonate • fortunate
•pulmonate
•compassionate, passionate
•affectionate
•extortionate, proportionate
•sultanate • companionate
•principate • Rupert • episcopate
•carat, carrot, claret, garret, karat, parrot
•emirate • aspirate • vertebrate
•levirate
•duumvirate, triumvirate
•pirate • quadrat • accurate • indurate
•obdurate
•Meerut, vizierate
•priorate • curate • elaborate
•deliberate • confederate
•considerate, desiderate
•immoderate, moderate
•ephorate
•imperforate, perforate
•agglomerate, conglomerate
•numerate
•degenerate, regenerate
•separate • temperate • desperate
•disparate • corporate • professorate
•commensurate • pastorate
•inveterate
•directorate, electorate, inspectorate, protectorate, rectorate
•illiterate, literate, presbyterate
•doctorate • Don Quixote • marquisate
•concert • cushat • precipitate
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Cite this article
"gamut." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 31 May. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "gamut." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (May 31, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-gamut.html "gamut." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved May 31, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-gamut.html |
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