- Octave
- Octave Oc"tave, n. [F., fr. L. octava an eighth, fr. octavus
eighth, fr. octo eight. See {Eight}, and cf. {Octavo},
{Utas}.]
1. The eighth day after a church festival, the festival day
being included; also, the week following a church
festival. ``The octaves of Easter.'' --Jer. Taylor.
[1913 Webster]
2. (Mus.) (a) The eighth tone in the scale; the interval between one and eight of the scale, or any interval of equal length; an interval of five tones and two semitones. (b) The whole diatonic scale itself. [1913 Webster]
Note: The ratio of a musical tone to its octave above is 1:2 as regards the number of vibrations producing the tones. [1913 Webster]
3. (Poet.) The first two stanzas of a sonnet, consisting of four verses each; a stanza of eight lines. [1913 Webster]
With mournful melody it continued this octave. --Sir P. Sidney. [1913 Webster]
{Double octave}. (Mus.) See under {Double}.
{Octave flute} (Mus.), a small flute, the tones of which range an octave higher than those of the German or ordinary flute; -- called also {piccolo}. See {Piccolo}. [1913 Webster]
4. A small cask of wine, the eighth part of a pipe. [1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.