ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tune

n. countable
B2 Upper Intermediate Oxford US //ˈtun// UK //tjˈuːn// tune Archaic General-service Informal Slang

n. a series of musical notes that are pleasant to listen to. You can also use this word to talk about a song you really like.

n. a succession of musical notes that form a distinct, melodic phrase. In informal register, it functions as a synonym for a song, particularly one that is catchy or currently popular.


SIMPLE

I have a catchy tune stuck in my head.

CONTEXTUAL

The radio played a great tune that made everyone in the car start singing along.

COMPLEX

While the lyrics were somewhat repetitive, the underlying tune was sophisticated enough to keep the audience engaged throughout the entire performance.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English tune, an unexplained variant of tone, from Old French ton, from Latin tonus, from Ancient Greek τόνος (tónos, “a tone”). Doublet of tone, ton, and tonus.

Usage

Commonly used in the phrase 'in tune' or 'out of tune' to describe pitch accuracy.

Idioms7 entries

© 2026 English Reference