Added 9 October 2026
chord
/kɔːd/ noun
Latin root: chorda Wiktionary
noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about chord at Wordnik → Where our words come from →
- A straight line connecting two points on a curve.
- A combination of three or more notes that blend harmoniously when sounded together.
verb
- Play chords on (a stringed instrument).
- Bring into consonance, harmony, or accord while making music or singing.
Origin
Variant of cord, with spelling alteration due to Latin chorda (“cord”), ultimately from Ancient Greek χορδή (khordḗ, “string of gut, the string of a lyre”). No relation to French accord (“chord”) and its derivations. Doublet of cuerda.
From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)