undertone.

1. A low, subdued sound or way of speaking.

2. An underlying feeling or implication not openly expressed.

3. A subtle hue that modifies a more prominent color.

Use it for

Words that belong together

• speak in an undertone
• low undertone

On the page

She answered in an undertone.

Usage notes

Primary category: sensory / description. Forms: Singular undertone; plural undertones. 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.