of, relating to, or based upon any scale of five tones and two semitones produced by playing the white keys of a keyboard instrument, esp the natural major or minor scales forming the basis of the key system in Western music
Compare chromatic (sense 2)
2.
not involving the sharpening or flattening of the notes of the major or minor scale nor the use of such notes as modified by accidentals
Derived forms
diatonically (ˌdiaˈtonically)
adverb
diatonicism (ˌdaɪəˈtɒnɪˌsɪzəm)
noun
Word origin
C16: from Late Latin diatonicus, from Greek diatonikos, from diatonos extending, from diateinein to stretch out, from dia- + teinein to stretch
diatonic in American English
(ˌdaɪəˈtɑnɪk)
adjective
Music
designating, of, or using a scale of eight tones that is either a major scale or a , minor scale
see also chromatic scale
Derived forms
diatonically (ˌdiaˈtonically)
adverb
diatonicism (ˌdiaˈtoniˌcism) (ˌdaɪəˈtɑnəˌsɪzəm)
noun
Word origin
Fr diatonique < LL diatonicus < Gr diatonikos, stretched through (the notes) < dia-, through + teinein, to stretch: see tend2