chordthree or more musical tonesNot to be confused with:cord ? a small rope; trousers made of corduroycored ? removed the center of a fruitAbused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embreechord1E major chord in opening bar of Edvard Grieg’s Morgenstemningchord 1 (kôrd)n.1. Music A combination of three or more pitches sounded simultaneously.2. Harmony, as of color.v. chord·ed, chord·ing, chords v.intr. Music To play chords: She chorded up and down the neck of the guitar.v.tr.1. To play chords on: chorded the piano.2. To produce by playing musical chords; harmonize: chord a melody.[Alteration (influenced by chord, musical instrument string) of Middle English cord, from accord, agreement, from Old French acorde, from acorder, to agree; see accord.]Usage Note: The words chord and cord are often confused?and with good reason, for they are really three words, not two. There are two words spelled chord (listed as separate entries with homograph numbers in this dictionary). The first comes from the word accord and refers to a harmonious combination of three or more musical notes. The second is an alteration of cord, taking its spelling from Greek chorda, “string, gut,” by way of Latin. This is the mathematical chord?a line segment that joins two points on a curve. Cord itself means “a string or rope.” It has many extensions, as in an electrical cord and a cord of wood. When referring to anatomical structures, it can be spelled in general usage either as cord or chord (again by influence of Greek and Latin). Strict medical usage requires cord, however. A doctor may examine a spinal cord or vocal cords, not chords.chord2chord 2 (kôrd)n.1. A line segment that joins two points on a curve. See Usage Note at chord1.2. A straight line connecting the leading and trailing edges of an airfoil.3. Anatomy Variant of cord..4. An emotional feeling or response: Her words struck a sympathetic chord in her audience.5. Archaic The string of a musical instrument.[Alteration of cord.]American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.chord (k??d) n1. (Mathematics) maths a. a straight line connecting two points on a curve or curved surfaceb. the line segment lying between two points of intersection of a straight line and a curve or curved surface2. (General Engineering) engineering one of the principal members of a truss, esp one that lies along the top or the bottom3. (Anatomy) anatomy a variant spelling of cord4. an emotional response, esp one of sympathy: the story struck the right chord. 5. (Aeronautics) an imaginary straight line joining the leading edge and the trailing edge of an aerofoil6. (Instruments) archaic the string of a musical instrument[C16: from Latin chorda, from Greek khord? gut, string; see cord] ?chorded adjchord (k??d) n (Music, other) the simultaneous sounding of a group of musical notes, usually three or more in number. See concord4, discord3vb (Music, other) (tr) to provide (a melodic line) with chords[C15: short for accord; spelling influenced by chord1] ?chordal adjCollins English Dictionary ? Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014chord1 (k?rd) n. 1. a feeling or emotion: Your story struck a sympathetic chord in me. 2. the line segment between two points on a given curve. 3. a principal longitudinal member of a truss, usu. one of a pair connected by a web member. 4. a straight line joining the trailing and leading edges of an airfoil section. 5. cord (def. 7). [1350?1400; Middle English These words are both pronounced /k??d/.A chord is a number of musical notes played or sung together to produce a pleasant sound.Cord is strong, thick string. A cord is a piece of this string.A cord is also a length of wire covered with plastic which connects a piece of electrical equipment to an electricity supply.