noun
ninth
A musical interval spanning nine scale degrees.
The melody leaps up a ninth before settling into its final phrase.
Etymology
Ninth is the ordinal form of nine. In music, the name counts the scale positions from one note to another, including both the starting and ending notes.
More examples
- From middle C to the D above the next C is a major ninth.
- The singer practices minor ninths slowly to improve her accuracy.
- The composer adds a ninth above the bass note.
Forms
ninth · ninths
Similar words
- compound second
- Describes a ninth as an octave plus a second.