sesquialterateadj.
/sɛskwɪˈaltərət/ a. = sesquialter adj. 1.
ΘΚΠ
the world > relative properties > number > ratio or proportion > [adjective] > multiple > fractional or mixed > particular
sesquialter1570
sesquitertia1597
sesquialteral1603
sesquioctave1603
sesquitertial1603
sesquitertian1603
sesquialtera1609
sesquialterate1609
sesquialteran1653
sescuple1694
sesquitertianal1704
sesquibitertial1705
sesquidecimal1705
sesquioctaval1705
sesquiquartal1705
sesquiquartan1715
sesquiseptimal1726
sesquiduplicate1775
sesquinonal1776
sesquiduple1850
society > leisure > the arts > music > musical sound > duration of notes > proportion of notes or rhythm > [adjective] > specific proportion
sesquialtera?1553
sesquiquarta1597
sesquitertia1597
sesquitertial1603
sesquialter1664
sescuple1774
sesquialterate1776
1609 [see sesquialterate vb. at Derivatives].
1653 R. Saunders Physiognomie iii. 270 These all..bear a sesquialternate [sic] part to the former proportion.
1728 E. Chambers Cycl. at Lime The Marks of a well-burnt Lime..are, that its Weight is to that of the Stone in a sesquialterate Proportion.
1776 C. Burney Gen. Hist. Music I. 76 Time..of odd numbers, or sesquialterate proportion, is more proper to excite commotion.
1817 H. T. Colebrooke tr. Brahmagupta in Algebra 287 In what time will my principal be raised to the sesquialterate amount?
1907 T. S. Omond Eng. Metrists 14 Feet of sesquialterate ratio (3:2 or 2:3) ‘answer to the Diapente or fifth in Music’.
b. (See quot. 1786 and sesquialtera adj. 1b.)
ΚΠ
1786 T. Busby Compl. Dict. Music Sesqui-Alterate, The greater perfect... A triple in the old music, in which the breve is three measures, or semibreves.
Derivatives
ΚΠ
1609 J. Dowland tr. A. Ornithoparchus Micrologus 64 There be, which adde the colour to the figures which are made sesquialterate by the Caracters of the numbers: and contrarily sesquialterating the sesquialteraes.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1912; most recently modified version published online June 2018).
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adj.1609