locrian: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical/Formal
Quick answer
What does “locrian” mean?
Relating to the ancient Greek region of Locris or its inhabitants.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
Relating to the ancient Greek region of Locris or its inhabitants.
Primarily used in music theory to denote the Locrian mode, a musical scale (the seventh mode of the major scale) characterized by a diminished fifth and a minor second.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
None; technical term with identical usage.
Connotations
None.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both varieties, limited to music theory contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “locrian” in a Sentence
[adjective] + mode/scaleVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “locrian” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The piece modulates into a haunting Locrian section.
- He composed using the ancient Locrian tonality.
American English
- The solo was based on a Locrian scale.
- That chord progression has a distinctly Locrian feel.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Not used.
Academic
Used in musicology and classical history papers.
Everyday
Virtually never used.
Technical
Standard term in music theory for a specific diatonic mode.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “locrian”
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “locrian”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “locrian”
- Pronouncing it as 'lo-CRY-an' (correct stress is on first syllable: LO-crian).
- Using it as a general adjective outside music/history.
- Confusing it with other modal names like 'Lydian' or 'Phrygian'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is highly unusual, as the mode's inherent instability (diminished fifth) strongly connotes tension, darkness, or mystery, making it challenging to convey straightforward happiness.
Rarely. One might refer to 'a Locrian' as an inhabitant of ancient Locris, but in modern English, it functions almost exclusively as an adjective (e.g., Locrian mode).
Its defining diminished fifth (tritone) interval was historically called 'diabolus in musica' (the devil in music) and was avoided in traditional harmony for its dissonance and lack of a stable tonic chord.
Locrian is the 7th mode of a major scale. 'Super Locrian' (or Locrian ♭4) is the 7th mode of the melodic minor scale, featuring an additional flattened fourth, making it even more dissonant and common in jazz and fusion.
Relating to the ancient Greek region of Locris or its inhabitants.
Locrian is usually technical/formal in register.
Locrian: in British English it is pronounced /ˈləʊ.kri.ən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈloʊ.kri.ən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think 'LOw and CRying' - the Locrian mode sounds unstable and tense, often described as 'dark' or 'unresolved'.
Conceptual Metaphor
INSTABILITY/DARKNESS (The Locrian mode is often metaphorically described as 'unstable', 'dark', or 'dissonant' due to its diminished fifth interval.)
Practice
Quiz
In which field is the term 'Locrian' most commonly used today?