octave

English

Etymology

From Latin octavus (“eighth”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈɒktɪv/, /ˈɒkteɪv/
• (US) IPA: /ˈɑktɪv/, /ˈɑkteɪv/

Noun

octave (plural octaves)

1. (music) An interval of twelve semitones spanning eight degrees of the diatonic scale, representing a doubling or halving in pitch.

   The melody jumps up an octave at the beginning, then later drops back down an octave.

   The singer was known for astounding clarity over her entire five-octave range.

   The octave has a pitch ratio of 2:1.

2. (music) The pitch an octave higher than a given pitch.

   The bass starts on a low E, and the tenor comes in on the octave.

3. (poetry) A poetic stanza consisting of eight lines; usually used as one part of a sonnet.
   • Sir Philip Sidney

     With mournful melody it continued this octave.

4. (fencing) The eighth defensive position, with the sword hand held at waist height, and the tip of the sword out straight at knee level.
5. (Christianity) The day that is one week after a feast day in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church.
6. (Christianity) An eight day period beginning on a feast day in the Latin Rite of the Catholic Church.
7. A small cask of wine, one eighth of a pipe.

Abbreviations

• (interval): P8

Derived terms

• perfect octave
• diminished octave
• augmented octave
• octaval

Related terms

• octavo
• oct-

Translations

interval

• Catalan: octava (ca) f
• Danish: oktav (da) c
• Dutch: octaaf (nl)
• Esperanto: oktavo (eo)
• Faroese: oktavur (fo) m
• Finnish: oktaavi (fi)
• Greek: οκτάβα (el) (oktáva) f

• Icelandic: áttund f
• Japanese: オクターブ (ja) (okutābu)
• Russian: октава (ru) (oktáva) f
• Scottish Gaelic: ochdad (gd) m
• Serbo-Croatian: oktava (sh) f
• Spanish: octava (es) f
• Swedish: oktav (sv) c

pitch octave higher than a given pitch

• Catalan: octava (ca) f
• Russian: октава (ru) (oktáva) f

• Scottish Gaelic: ochdad (gd) m
• Serbo-Croatian: oktava (sh) f

(fencing) the eighth defensive position

day that is one week after a feast day

• Catalan: octava (ca) f, vuitada (ca) f

eight day period beginning on a feast day

• Catalan: octava (ca) f, vuitada (ca) f

• Dutch: octaaf (nl)

See also

• interval
• unison
• second
• third
• fourth
• fifth
• sixth
• seventh
• Octave (disambiguation) on Wikipedia.Wikipedia:Octave (disambiguation)
• Octave in the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica.

Adjective

octave (not comparable)

1. (obsolete) Consisting of eight; eight in number.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Dryden to this entry?)

Anagrams

• avocet

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Interlingua

Pronunciation

• IPA: /okˈta.ve/

Adjective

octave

1. eighth

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Latin

Numeral

octave

1. vocative masculine singular of octavus