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See also: Gamut

English

Etymology

1520s, original sense “lowest note of musical scale”, from Medieval Latin gamma ut, from gamma (Greek letter, corresponding to the musical note G) + ut (first solfège syllable, now replaced by do). In modern terms, “G do” – the first note of the G scale[1]. Meaning later extended to mean all the notes of a scale, and then more generally any complete range.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈɡæm.ət/, /ˈɡæm.ɪt/
  • Audio (Southern England):(file)
  • Rhymes: -æmɪt

Noun

gamut (plural gamuts)

  1. A (normally) complete range.
    • c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
      I must begin with rudiments of Art / To teach you gamoth in a briefer sort, - -
      Bian. Why, I am past my gamouth long agoe.
    • 1922, Virginia Woolf, chapter 2, in Jacob’s Room:
      The entire gamut of the view's changes should have been known to her; its winter aspect, spring, summer and autumn; how storms came up from the sea; how the moors shuddered and brightened as the clouds went over; she should have noted the red spot where the villas were building; and the criss-cross of lines where the allotments were cut...
    • 1933?, Dorothy Parker, review of Katharine Hepburn in the Broadway play The Lake
      She delivered a striking performance that ran the gamut of emotions, from A to B.
    • 1960 December, “New reading on railways”, in Trains Illustrated, page 776:
      THE LONDON BRIGHTON & SOUTH COAST RAILWAY. By C. Hamilton Ellis. Ian Allan. 30s. [...] In the course of its pages the author runs through the whole gamut of the locomotives that have during the period under review run on the rails of the L.B. & S.C. and its forebears.
  2. (music) All the notes in a musical scale.
  3. All the colours that can be presented by a device such as a monitor or printer.

Derived terms

Translations

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

References

  1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “gamut”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.

Central Dusun

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ʀamut.

Noun

gamut

  1. root

Coastal Kadazan

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ʀamut.

Noun

gamut

  1. root

Dibabawon Manobo

Etymology

From Proto-Philippine *ʀamut, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ʀamut (fibrous roots).

Noun

gamut

  1. root (of a plant)

Rungus

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ʀamut.

Noun

gamut

  1. root

Tausug

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ʀamut.

Noun

gamut

  1. root

Tobilung

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ʀamut.

Noun

gamut

  1. root

Yakan

Noun

gamut

  1. root

Yogad

Etymology

From Proto-Philippine *ʀamut, from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *ʀamut (fibrous roots).

Noun

gamút

  1. root (of a plant)