unison

/ˈjunɪsən/

/ˈjunɪsən/

Other forms: unisons

The noun unison describes something that is synchronized or simultaneous, like when someone asks a question and you and your friend respond with the exact same answer at the same moment. When something is said in unison, two or more voices sound like one.

Unison comes from the Latin root words uni, meaning "one," and sonous, meaning "sound." So unison literally means one sound, and in music, it still retains that meaning. Unison occurs when two or more people play or sing the same pitch or in octaves. Outside of music, you may have experienced unison speaking when your class recites something together or unison movement when a group performs a dance routine.

Definitions of unison

1. noun

   the state of corresponding exactly
   “marching in unison”

   type of:

   accord, agreement

   harmony of people's opinions or actions or characters
2. noun

   the act of occurring together or simultaneously
   “the two spoke in unison”

   type of:

   co-occurrence, coincidence, concurrence, conjunction

   the temporal property of two things happening at the same time
3. noun

   (music) two or more sounds or tones at the same pitch or in octaves
   “singing in unison”

   type of:

   sound

   the particular auditory effect produced by a given cause