demiquaver
Very LowTechnical/Music
Definition
Meaning
In music, a note having the time value of half a quaver (sixteenth note), equal to one thirty-second of a semibreve.
A term used exclusively in British music notation for a thirty-second note. It is also used metaphorically to denote a very brief moment in time.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
This term is a noun, highly specialized to the domain of music theory and performance. It is an archaism in American English but remains standard in British music theory.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
British English uses 'demiquaver'. The standard American English equivalent is 'thirty-second note'. 'Demiquaver' is rarely used in American contexts.
Connotations
In the UK, it is a standard, neutral term from formal music theory. In the US, if used, it might be perceived as a deliberate Britishism or an archaism.
Frequency
Common in UK music pedagogy and sheet music. Extremely rare in general US English, where 'thirty-second note' is universal.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Verb] + demiquaver(s): play/write/notate a demiquaver[Adjective] + demiquaver(s): double/isolated/rapid demiquaver[Preposition] + demiquaver(s): a passage in demiquaversVocabulary
Synonyms
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Not applicable.
Academic
Used in musicology, theory, and performance studies.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Standard term in British music notation; used in scores, textbooks, and lessons.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The music has very fast notes.
- Some of the fastest notes in this piece are demiquavers.
- The pianist executed the complex passage of demiquavers with remarkable clarity and precision.
- In the baroque fugue, the intricate counterpoint is often articulated through rapid, interweaving lines of semiquavers and demiquavers.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'DEMI' means half (like demigod is half-god). A demiquaver is HALF the length of a QUAVER (which is an eighth note). So it's a sixteenth of a beat.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS SPACE ON A PAGE (The note's shape occupies a specific, measurable temporal space).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Direct translation into Russian yields 'тридцать вторая нота'. There is no single-word equivalent like 'demiquaver' in Russian.
Common Mistakes
- Pronouncing it as 'deh-MEE-kwaver' (stress is on first syllable).
- Confusing it with a 'semiquaver' (which is a sixteenth note).
- Using it in general conversation where 'split second' or 'moment' is meant.
Practice
Quiz
What is the American English term for a 'demiquaver'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is not standard. American English exclusively uses 'thirty-second note' in both professional and educational music contexts.
In British notation: a quaver is an eighth note, a semiquaver is a sixteenth note, and a demiquaver is a thirty-second note. Each is half the duration of the previous one.
Only in highly figurative, poetic language to mean 'an extremely brief moment' (e.g., 'It lasted but a demiquaver'). This usage is very rare and stylized.
A hemidemisemiquaver (or sixty-fourth note) is half the length of a demiquaver.