Harmony
ˈhɑːrməni
Definitions
2 meaningsA state of peaceful existence and agreement.
ˈhɑːrməni
Agreement or concord
The two countries eventually found a way to live in harmony.
💡 Simply: Harmony is like when everyone agrees and gets along, like friends all agreeing on what to play.
👶 For kids: Harmony means when things are working together nicely and everyone is happy.
More Examples
The colors in the painting were in perfect harmony.
There was a sense of harmony within the family.
How It's Used
"The choir sang in perfect harmony."
"The community worked to establish harmony among different ethnic groups."
The use of simultaneous notes in music to create a pleasing effect.
ˈhɑːrməni
The combination of simultaneously sounded musical notes
The song’s harmony was very complex.
💡 Simply: In music, harmony is like adding extra sounds to a song that make it sound pretty together.
👶 For kids: In music, harmony is when different sounds play together nicely.
More Examples
The harmonies of the choir were breathtaking.
The guitar provides the harmony for the melody.
How It's Used
"The composer wrote a piece known for its complex harmonies."
Synonyms
Idioms & expressions
in harmony with
In agreement or accordance with something.
"The design is in harmony with the natural landscape."
to live in harmony
To coexist peacefully and agreeably with someone or something else.
"The different species live in harmony in the forest."
From Latin *harmonia*, from Greek *harmonia* meaning 'joint, agreement, concord'. The term originally referred to musical concord, then broadened to social and emotional concord.
The term has been used since the 14th century, initially in the context of music, and later in a broader sense to describe social and interpersonal relationships.
Memory tip
Think of a perfect musical chord where all notes blend well to create a pleasing sound. Harmony is when things fit well together.
Practice
Word Origin
Root: harmonia