any of the pure, or harmonic, tones forming a complex tone; harmonic
partial tone in American English
noun
Acoustics & Music
one of the pure tones forming a part of a complex tone
Also called: partial
Word origin
[1875–80]This word is first recorded in the period 1875–80. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: Diaspora, overdraft, pressure point, slime mold, weekender