English
tune
Tune comes from Latin tonus ‘the pitch, sound or tone of something’, from Proto-Hellenic *tónos ‘rope, cord’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ten- ‘stretch’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ten-‘stretch’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tón-osreconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*tónos‘rope, cord’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτόνοςtónos‘a tone’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtonus‘the pitch, sound or tone of something’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400ton
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500tune
- Englishearliest quotation 1568same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*ten-‘stretch’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*tón-osreconstructed
- Proto-Hellenicc. 2200–1600 BCE*tónos‘rope, cord’reconstructed
- Ancient Greekc. 800–300 BCEτόνοςtónos‘a tone’
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEtonus‘the pitch, sound or tone of something’
- Old Frenchc. 842–1400ton
- Middle Englishc. 1150–1500tune
- Englishearliest quotation 1568same form
Earliest quotation: 1568, William Cornishe [i.e., William Cornysh]: “The Harpe. […] A harper with his wreſt maye…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *ten- ‘stretch’
continue, content, entertainment, tight, maintenance, contain, obtain, tennis, continuous, retain, tender, detention, sustain, continent, retention, tenant, continuum, tenor, rein, tendon, detain, pertinent, tenacity, pristine, abstain, tenacious, sustenance, abstinence, pertain, tetanus, countenance, incontinence, tenet, retinue, tantra, tenement, abstention, tenable, tendinitis, retentive, 68 more
through Ancient Greek τόνος ‘a tone’
through Latin tonus ‘the pitch, sound or tone of something’
Today it means
noun A melody.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *ten- / tune