From WordNet (r) 2.0 (August 2003) [wn]:
harmony
n 1: compatibility in opinion and action [syn: harmoniousness]
2: the structure of music with respect to the composition and
progression of chords [syn: musical harmony]
3: a harmonious state of things in general and of their
properties (as of colors and sounds); congruity of parts
with one another and with the whole [syn: concord,
concordance]
4: agreement of opinions [syn: concord, concordance]
5: an agreeable sound property [ant: dissonance]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Harmonic \Har*mon"ic\ (h[aum]r*m[o^]n"[i^]k), Harmonical
\Har*mon"ic*al\ (-[i^]*kal), a. [L. harmonicus, Gr. "armoniko`s;
cf. F. harmonique. See Harmony.]
1. Concordant; musical; consonant; as, harmonic sounds.
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Harmonic twang! of leather, horn, and brass. --Pope.
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2. (Mus.) Relating to harmony, -- as melodic relates to
melody; harmonious; esp., relating to the accessory sounds
or overtones which accompany the predominant and apparent
single tone of any string or sonorous body.
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3. (Math.) Having relations or properties bearing some
resemblance to those of musical consonances; -- said of
certain numbers, ratios, proportions, points, lines,
motions, and the like.
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Harmonic interval (Mus.), the distance between two notes of
a chord, or two consonant notes.
Harmonical mean (Arith. & Alg.), certain relations of
numbers and quantities, which bear an analogy to musical
consonances.
Harmonic motion, the motion of the point A, of the foot of
the perpendicular PA, when P moves uniformly in the
circumference of a circle, and PA is drawn perpendicularly
upon a fixed diameter of the circle. This is simple
harmonic motion. The combinations, in any way, of two or
more simple harmonic motions, make other kinds of harmonic
motion. The motion of the pendulum bob of a clock is
approximately simple harmonic motion.
Harmonic proportion. See under Proportion.
Harmonic series or Harmonic progression. See under
Progression.
Spherical harmonic analysis, a mathematical method,
sometimes referred to as that of Laplace's Coefficients,
which has for its object the expression of an arbitrary,
periodic function of two independent variables, in the
proper form for a large class of physical problems,
involving arbitrary data, over a spherical surface, and
the deduction of solutions for every point of space. The
functions employed in this method are called spherical
harmonic functions. --Thomson & Tait.
Harmonic suture (Anat.), an articulation by simple
apposition of comparatively smooth surfaces or edges, as
between the two superior maxillary bones in man; -- called
also harmonia, and harmony.
Harmonic triad (Mus.), the chord of a note with its third
and fifth; the common chord.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Harmony \Har"mo*ny\ (h[aum]r"m[-o]*n[y^]), n.; pl. Harmonies
(-n[i^]z). [F. harmonie, L. harmonia, Gr. "armoni`a joint,
proportion, concord, fr. "armo`s a fitting or joining. See
Article.]
1. The just adaptation of parts to each other, in any system
or combination of things, or in things intended to form a
connected whole; such an agreement between the different
parts of a design or composition as to produce unity of
effect; as, the harmony of the universe.
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2. Concord or agreement in facts, opinions, manners,
interests, etc.; good correspondence; peace and
friendship; as, good citizens live in harmony.
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3. A literary work which brings together or arranges
systematically parallel passages of historians respecting
the same events, and shows their agreement or consistency;
as, a harmony of the Gospels.
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4. (Mus.)
(a) A succession of chords according to the rules of
progression and modulation.
(b) The science which treats of their construction and
progression.
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Ten thousand harps, that tuned
Angelic harmonies. --Milton.
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5. (Anat.) See Harmonic suture, under Harmonic.
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Close harmony, Dispersed harmony, etc. See under Close,
Dispersed, etc.
Harmony of the spheres. See Music of the spheres, under
Music.
Syn: Harmony, Melody.
Usage: Harmony results from the concord of two or more
strains or sounds which differ in pitch and quality.
Melody denotes the pleasing alternation and variety of
musical and measured sounds, as they succeed each
other in a single verse or strain.
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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:
Thorough bass \Thor"ough bass`\ (Mus.)
The representation of chords by figures placed under the
base; figured bass; basso continuo; -- sometimes used as
synonymous with harmony.
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