undertone
/ˈʌndə(ɹ)təʊn/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.62 in modern English
10
Scrabble Score
9
Letters
3
Syllables
7
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
An implicit message perceived subtly alongside, but not detracting noticeably from, the explicit message conveyed in or by a book, film, speech or similar (contrast with overtone); an undercurrent.
Countable; Uncountable
verb
To accompany as an undertone.
verb
To say or speak in an undertone.
verb
To present as less important, noticeable or prominent.
Example Sentences
- "Did he and his master converse? Watt had never heard them do so, as he surely would have done, if they had done so. In an undertone perhaps. Yes, perhaps they conversed in undertones, the master and the servant, in two undertones, the master's undertone, the servant's undertone."
- "They gathered soberly in the farthest recess of the ward and gossiped about him in malicious, offended undertones, rebelling against his presence as a ghastly imposition and resenting him malevolently for the nauseating truth of which he was bright reminder."
- "This context colours the Heidebad incident in darker undertones."
- "Sedentary occupations are likely to result in undertone, and this undertone not being relieved by physiological means, constipation is a probable outcome."
- "The Missionary's address rolled on in choppy Chinook, undertoned by a gentle voice from the back of the room which told Tanook in pure Indian words what he was to do."
- "Undertoning the howling siren I was aware of a distant swish, like that of a hurricane’s forerunning wind through palm fronds."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *h₁én Proto-Indo-European *-tér Proto-Indo-European *h₁entér Proto-Indo-European *h₂én Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-? Proto-Indo-European *-dʰi ? Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰí Proto-Indo-European *-ér Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér Proto-Germanic *under Proto-West Germanic *undar Old English under- Middle English under- English under- English tone English undertone From under- + tone.