- (n.) The seventh tone of the scale or that immediately below the tonic; -- called also subsemitone.
- (n.) A subtonic sound or element; a vocal consonant, as b, d, g, n, etc.; a subvocal.
- (a.) Applied to or distinguishing, a speech element consisting of tone or proper vocal sound, not pure as in the vowels, but dimmed and otherwise modified by some kind of obstruction in the oral or the nasal passage, and in some cases with a mixture of breath sound; -- a term introduced by Dr. James Rush in 1833. See Guide to Pronunciation, //155, 199-202.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary
| APA | Webster's. (2011). subtonic. Retrieved September 23, 2026, from http://smartdefine.org/subtonic/definitions/2068009 |
| Chicago | Webster's. 2011. "subtonic" http://smartdefine.org/subtonic/definitions/2068009 (accessed September 23, 2026). |
| Harvard | Webster's 2011, subtonic, Smart Define, viewed 23 September, 2026, <http://smartdefine.org/subtonic/definitions/2068009>. |
| MLA | Webster's. "subtonic" 28 May 2011. Web. 23 September 2026. <http://smartdefine.org/subtonic/definitions/2068009> |