Demiquaver

/ˈdɛmiˌkweɪvər/ noun

Definition

A musical note with half the duration of a quaver, equal to one-sixteenth of a whole note; a sixteenth note.

Etymology

From demi- (half) + quaver (from Middle English quaveren, to shake or vibrate). This musical term standardized in the 17th century as Western music notation became more precise and required notes of shorter durations.

Kelly Says

Musicians speak a mathematical language with demi-this and semi-that—a demiquaver is half a quaver, which is half a crotchet, creating a beautiful nested system that lets composers write incredibly intricate rhythms.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.