# timbre

Pronunciation: US say "TAM-bur" /ˈtæm.bɚ/; UK say "TAM-bruh" /ˈtæmbɹə/; AUS say "TIM-buh" /ˈtɪm.bə/

## Noun

1. The quality of a sound that distinguishes it from another of the same pitch and volume.
   - Simple: What makes one sound different from another, even when the pitch and loudness are the same.
   - _Each instrument has a distinct timbre, even when several play identical pitches together._
   - _The recording beautifully captured the warm timbre of the old cello._
2. The pitch of a sound as the ear perceives it, described in relation to its absolute pitch.
   - Simple: How high or low a sound seems to the ear, compared with its real pitch.
   - _Trained musicians can judge the timbre of a tone against its measured frequency._
   - _Divers breathing a helium mix speak with an oddly high timbre, though their vocal cords vibrate at the usual rate._

## Noun

3. In heraldry, the crest set upon the helmet that stands above a coat of arms. *(rare)*
   - Simple: The decoration shown on top of the helmet above a coat of arms.
   - _The herald described the timbre crowning the helm above the shield._
   - _Above the coat of arms sat an elaborate timbre shaped like a falcon._

## Origin

This word comes from French timbre, which ultimately derives from the Ancient Greek τύμπανον (túmpanon, “drum”). It is a doublet of tympanum, timpani, timbal, and tymbal.

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/timbre (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).