overtone.

1. A higher-pitched component of a sound, above its main note, that helps give the sound its character.

2. An additional feeling, association, or meaning suggested without being stated directly.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• upper overtones
• rich overtones

On the page

The bell's upper overtones lingered after the deeper note faded.

Usage notes

Primary category: sensory / description. Forms: Singular overtone; plural overtones. Legacy lexical fields mirror sense 1 only. Use numbered sense fields for all meanings. Established modern English lexical item. No separate regional spelling or grammatical inflection entry. Writing functions: description. Commonness: moderately common.