English
plagal
Plagal comes from Ancient Greek πλάγος ‘side’.
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπλάγοςplágos‘side’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπλάγιοςplágios
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEplaga
- Late Latin, derivedc. 200–600 CEplagalis
- Englishearliest quotation 2025plagal
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEπλάγοςplágos‘side’
- Ancient Greek, derivedc. 800–300 BCEπλάγιοςplágios
- Late Latinc. 200–600 CEplaga
- Late Latin, derivedc. 200–600 CEplagalis
- Englishearliest quotation 2025plagal
Earliest quotation: 2025, Helen Barrett, Tapesty of talent: “[…] [Carol] King uses the plagal coda as affirmation…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂- ‘flat’
field, floor, explain, planet, plane, explanation, palm, plain, clan, fluke, archipelago, parma, explanatory, flounder, placenta, planar, lech, polonium, esplanade, palatine, placate, veld, implacable, plantar, flay, pelagic, floe, purdah, llano, planta, 47 more
through Late Latin plaga
Today it means
adj Designating a mode lying a perfect fourth below the authentic form.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Ancient Greek πλάγος / plagal