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REFERENCE

chord

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈkɔɹd// UK //kˈɔːd// chord

n. three or more musical notes played at the same time. You use these to create the harmony in a song.

n. a group of three or more musical notes sounded together as a basis of harmony.


SIMPLE

She learned how to play a basic C major chord on the guitar.

CONTEXTUAL

The song opens with a single, powerful piano chord that sets a somber mood for the rest of the track.

COMPLEX

While simple pop songs often rely on three basic chords, jazz compositions frequently utilize complex extensions to create a more sophisticated harmonic texture.

Synonyms
Origin

Variant of cord, with spelling alteration due to Latin chorda (“cord”), ultimately from Ancient Greek χορδή (khordḗ, “string of gut, the string of a lyre”). No relation to French accord (“chord”) and its derivations. Doublet of cuerda.

Usage

Commonly used with the verbs 'play', 'strike', or 'strum'.

Pitfall

the guitar's chordthe guitar's stringLearners sometimes confuse 'chord' (the musical sound) with 'cord' or 'string' (the physical wire on the instrument).

Idioms1 entry

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