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HARMONIC

Volume 8 · 92 words · 1797 Edition

As an adjective, it signifies in general any thing belonging to harmony; though in our language the adjective is more properly written harmonical. In this case it may be applied to the harmonical divisions of a monochord; or, in a word, to consonances in general. As a substantive neuter, it imports all the concomitant or accessory sounds which, upon the principles resulting from the experiments made on sonorous bodies, attend any given sound whatever, and render it appreciable. Thus all the aliquot parts of a musical string produce harmonical sounds, or harmonics.