dissonance
UK: ˈdɪsənəns | US: ˈdɪsənəns
n. a lack of harmony or agreement; conflict or inconsistency
n. (music) a combination of sounds that produce harsh, unresolved tones
dissonance = dis<apart> + son<sound> + ance<noun suffix>
- dis (Latin dis-): "apart," indicating separation or negation.
- son (Latin sonus): "sound," referring to auditory perception.
- ance (Latin -antia): noun-forming suffix denoting a state or quality.
Etymology Origin:
Derived from Latin dissonantia ("discord"), the word combines dis- (negation) with sonus (sound), originally describing musical discord. Over time, it expanded metaphorically to describe any form of conflict or incongruity, reflecting the logical progression from literal sound clashes to abstract disagreements.
The dissonance between their opinions led to heated debates.
The composer used dissonance to create tension in the symphony.
Cognitive dissonance arises when beliefs contradict actions.
The jarring dissonance of the car horns annoyed pedestrians.
His words carried a dissonance with his earlier promises.