tonality

/təʊnˈæl.ɪ.tiː/

//təʊnˈæl.ɪ.tiː// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"tonality" is a 8-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“tonality” is uncommon English (frequency #56,495 among 27,828 “T” headwords), classed as a noun. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#56,495
frequency rank, English
27,828
“T” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The system of seven tones built on a tonic key; the 24 major and minor scales.

Key facts for tonality
PropertyValue
Headwordtonality
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/təʊnˈæl.ɪ.tiː/
Letters8
Frequency rank#56,495
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “tonality” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). tonality lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

tonality is uncommon English at frequency #56,495 among 27,828 “T” headwords, classed as anoun, transcribed /təʊnˈæl.ɪ.tiː/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 4 senses are on record.

No generated misspelling entries exist for tonality in our index, a sign its spelling follows regular English conventions. We don't track a confusable pairing for this entry, suggesting its spelling stands apart enough that readers rarely confuse it with something else.

Etymologically, the entry records: From French tonalité. The correct English form is tonality, spelled T-O-N-A-L-I-T-Y.

Definition

  1. 1
    The system of seven tones built on a tonic key; the 24 major and minor scales.
  2. 2
    A sound of specific pitch and quality; timbre.
  3. 3
    The quality of all the tones in a composition heard in relation to the tonic.
  4. 4
    The interrelation of the tones in a painting.

Etymology

From French tonalité.

This word in other languages

tonalité(Français)tonalidade(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "tonality"?
"tonality" is spelled T-O-N-A-L-I-T-Y. The IPA pronunciation is /təʊnˈæl.ɪ.tiː/.
What does "tonality" mean?
As a noun, "tonality" means: The system of seven tones built on a tonic key; the 24 major and minor scales.
How do you pronounce "tonality"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "tonality" is /təʊnˈæl.ɪ.tiː/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "tonality"?
From French tonalité. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “tonality”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is T-O-N-A-L-I-T-Y - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /təʊnˈæl.ɪ.tiː/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list