noun
Uncommon
ut
uut
Ut (noun) means an old name for the first note of the musical scale, later replaced by "do" in solfège. Example: “In early solfège systems, singers began the scale on ut rather than do.”
noun
1
An old name for the first note of the musical scale, later replaced by "do" in solfège.
"In early solfège systems, singers began the scale on ut rather than do."
"The old hymn gave its syllable ut to the lowest note of the scale."
"My music history teacher explained that ut was later swapped for do because it is easier to sing."
How to use ut
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishAn old musical syllable, the ancestor of "do" in "do-re-mi."
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Word forms
- Plural
- uts
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In early solfège systems, singers began the scale on _____ rather than do.
Etymology
From Latin ut ("as, how"), the first word of a Latin hymn used to teach the musical scale by Guido of Arezzo.
Synonyms
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Frequently asked questions
What does “ut” mean?
The word “ut” means an old name for the first note of the musical scale, later replaced by "do" in solfège. In plain terms, an old musical syllable, the ancestor of "do" in "do-re-mi.".
How do you pronounce “ut”?
“Ut” is pronounced uut (/ut/ in IPA).
How do you use “ut” in a sentence?
Here is “ut” used in a sentence: “In early solfège systems, singers began the scale on ut rather than do.”
What part of speech is “ut”?
“Ut” is a noun.
Where does the word “ut” come from?
The word “ut” comes from Latin. From Latin ut ("as, how"), the first word of a Latin hymn used to teach the musical scale by Guido of Arezzo.
Is “ut” a common word?
“Ut” is an uncommon word in modern English.
Is "ut" still used in music today?
No, "ut" is an archaic term. It was the original name for the first note of the solfège scale in medieval music theory, but it was later replaced by "do," which is the syllable used in modern solfège systems.
What does "ut" correspond to in modern solfège?
"Ut" corresponds to the note now called "do," the first (tonic) note of the movable-do or fixed-do solfège scale used to teach sight-singing and pitch relationships.
Why was "ut" replaced by "do" in solfège?
"Ut" was considered awkward to sing because it ends in a hard consonant, so it was replaced with the more open, singable syllable "do" in most solfège traditions.
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