| a. | 1. | (Mus.) Pertaining to the scale of eight tones, the eighth of which is the octave of the first.
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| Adj. | 1. | diatonic - based on the standard major or minor scales consisting of 5 tones and 2 semitones without modulation by accidentals Antonyms: chromatic - based on a scale consisting of 12 semitones; "a chromatic scale" |
| 2. | diatonic - based on or using the five tones and two semitones of the major or minor scales of Western music |