Meaning & use
chord
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Meanings
nouncountable
A combination of three or more musical notes played together in harmony.
Grammar: Countable: you can play a chord, two chords, etc.
Patterns
- play a chord
- strum a chord
- a chord progression
She played a simple chord on the guitar.
The song begins with a major chord.
He struggled to finger the difficult chord.
nouncountabletechnical
A straight line segment connecting two points on a curve, especially on a circle.
Grammar: Countable: draw a chord, measure the chord.
Patterns
- draw a chord
- the chord of a circle
In geometry, a chord is a line that joins two points on a circle.
The chord divides the circle into two segments.
Word forms
| plural | chords |
|---|
Common combinations
- strike a chord
- Her speech struck a chord with the audience.
- chord progression
- The chord progression in this jazz piece is complex.
- major chord
- Start by learning the C major chord.
- chord line
- The chord line connects two points on the circumference.
Synonyms and how they differ
- harmony
- Harmony refers to the overall combination of notes, while a chord is a specific set of notes played together.
Word family
- chordal adjective
- Relating to chords, especially in music or geometry.
Commonly confused: chord or cord?
chord vs cord
A cord is a rope or wire; a chord is a musical or geometric term. They sound the same but have different meanings.
Practice
In music, what is a chord?
Choose one answer.
A chord is specifically a group of notes played together, not a single note or instrument. The other options describe different musical concepts.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “chord”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.