dissonancy: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
Rare / Literary / SpecialisedFormal, Literary, Technical (Music)
Quick answer
What does “dissonancy” mean?
the state or quality of being dissonant.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
the state or quality of being dissonant; lack of harmony or agreement; discord.
Specifically in music, a harsh or inharmonious combination of sounds; more generally, any conflict, disagreement, or incongruity in ideas, feelings, or elements.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant regional difference in meaning. Both varieties overwhelmingly prefer "dissonance." "Dissonancy" is equally rare in both.
Connotations
Archaising or consciously literary in both varieties. In British academic writing on historical music theory, it might appear slightly more often.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both. "Dissonance" is the standard form (over 99.9% of usage).
Grammar
How to Use “dissonancy” in a Sentence
dissonancy between [X] and [Y]dissonancy in [X]dissonancy of [X]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “dissonancy” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The composer's intent was not to dissonate, but to explore subtle dissonancy.
- The arguments dissonated, creating a palpable dissonancy in the room.
American English
- His choices deliberately dissonate from tradition, emphasising dissonancy.
- Their views dissonated, leading to intellectual dissonancy.
adverb
British English
- [No direct adverbial form. Use 'dissonantly', relating to 'dissonant'.] The instruments played dissonantly, creating dissonancy.
American English
- [No direct adverbial form. Use 'dissonantly', relating to 'dissonant'.] The ideas collided dissonantly, a clear dissonancy.
adjective
British English
- The dissonant chords produced a feeling of acute dissonancy.
- Their dissonant opinions highlighted the fundamental dissonancy.
American English
- The dissonant sounds created an unsettling dissonancy.
- The dissonant data points revealed a statistical dissonancy.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used. "Dissonance" might appear in marketing/psychology contexts (e.g., cognitive dissonance).
Academic
Rare, mainly in historical texts on music theory, philosophy, or literary criticism analysing older works.
Everyday
Never used in everyday conversation. The word would be unrecognised by most.
Technical
In musicology, a possible historical term for the quality of dissonance, but modern terminology uses "dissonance."
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “dissonancy”
Neutral
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “dissonancy”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “dissonancy”
- Using 'dissonancy' in modern, standard writing instead of 'dissonance.'
- Misspelling as 'dissonnancy' or 'disonancy.'
- Assuming it is the standard or only noun form.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but it is an archaic and very rare noun form. The standard modern noun is 'dissonance.' 'Dissonancy' is found in older texts or used for stylistic effect.
Almost certainly not. Unless you are writing a historical analysis of language or a highly stylised literary piece, you should always use the standard form 'dissonance' to ensure clarity and modern acceptability.
The meaning is identical: a state of discord or lack of harmony. 'Dissonance' is the common, productive noun. 'Dissonancy' is a rare, non-productive form focusing slightly more on the abstract quality. For all practical purposes, they are synonyms, but 'dissonance' is the correct choice.
Only vaguely in the sense of describing a 'difference.' They have different roots: 'dissonancy' comes from Latin 'dissonantia' (disagreeing in sound), while 'discrepancy' comes from Latin 'discrepantia' (differing in sound or fact). They are not interchangeable.
the state or quality of being dissonant.
Dissonancy is usually formal, literary, technical (music) in register.
Dissonancy: in British English it is pronounced /ˈdɪs.ən.ən.si/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈdɪs.ə.nən.si/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No established idioms for this rare form]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: DISSONANCY = DIS-agreeing SONgs (or sounds) with quAlity (the -ancy suffix). It's the *quality* of being a disagreeing sound.
Conceptual Metaphor
HARMONY IS AGREEMENT / DISSONANCE IS CONFLICT. Dissonancy is the state of being in a 'sound-conflict' or 'idea-conflict.'
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the MOST common and standard noun form?