timbre

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timbre

/ˈtæmbɹə/ UK
/ˈtæmbə/ UK
/tɛ̃bɹ(ə)/ UK, dated
/ˈtæm.bɚ/ US
/ˈtɪm.bɚ/ US
/ˈtɪm.bə/ Australia

Sounds like timber stripped-by-parse_pron_post_template_fn · Rhymes with -æmbə(ɹ), -ɪmbə(ɹ)

Where it comes from

From French timbre, ultimately from Ancient Greek τύμπανον (túmpanon, “drum”). Doublet of tympanum, timpani, timbal, and tymbal.

noun timbres

countable, uncountable The quality of a sound independent of its pitch and volume. It was a hard whisper to catch at first, since the grey moustache concealed all movements of the lips, and something in its timbre disturbed me greatly; but by concentrating my attention I could soon make out its purport surprisingly well.
Similar: tone color
countable, uncountable The pitch of a sound as heard by the ear, described relative to its absolute pitch. When someone speaks after inhaling helium, his voice has a higher timbre. With sulfur hexafluoride, the result is a lower timbre.
countable, uncommon, uncountable The crest on a (helmet atop a) coat of arms. Quarterly the First quarter Siluer …, The second Siluer a Cheueron gules betweene three Castles Sables And to his timbre vpon his healme, an Elephants head in his proper Colours […]

Translations

Every language

noun quality of a sound independent of its pitch and volume

Español	timbre
日本語	音色 neiro
中文	音色 yīnsè
Português	timbre
Français	timbre
Deutsch	Klangfarbe, Timbre
Italiano	timbro
Ελληνικά	ηχόχρωμα ichóchroma
Română	timbru
Русский	тембр tɛmbr

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MLA

"timbre." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/timbre. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

timbre. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/timbre

Chicago

"timbre." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/timbre.

BibTeX

@misc{timbre_2026,
  title = {timbre},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/timbre},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}