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Origin and history of unison

unison(n.)

mid-15c., "note having the same pitch as another; identity in pitch of two or more sounds; interval between tones of the same pitch," especially the interval of an octave, from French unisson "unison, accord of sound" (16c.) or directly from Medieval Latin unisonus "having one sound, sounding the same," from Late Latin unisonius "in immediate sequence in the scale; monotonous." This is from Latin uni- "one" (from PIE root *oi-no- "one, unique") + sonus "sound" (from PIE root *swen- "to sound").

The figurative sense of "harmonious agreement" is attested by 1640s. Related: Unisonal; unisonance; unisonant; unisonous; unisoneity.

also from mid-15c.

Entries linking to unison

*oi-no-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "one, unique."

It might form all or part of: a (1) indefinite article; alone; an; Angus; anon; atone; any; eleven; inch (n.1) "linear measure, one-twelfth of a foot;" lone; lonely; non-; none; null; once; one; onion; ounce (n.1) unit of weight; quincunx; triune; unanimous; unary; une; uni-; Uniate; unilateral; uncial; unicorn; union; unique; unison; unite; unity; universal; universe; university; zollverein.

It might also be the source of: Greek oinos "ace (on dice);" Latin unus "one;" Old Persian aivam; Old Church Slavonic -inu, ino-; Lithuanian vienas; Old Irish oin; Breton un "one;" Old English an, German ein, Gothic ains "one."

*swen-

also swenə-, Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to sound." 

It might form all or part of: assonance; consonant; dissonant; resound; sonant; sonata; sone; sonic; sonnet; sonogram; sonorous; sound (n.1) "noise, what is heard;" sound (v.1) "to be audible;" swan; unison.

It might also be the source of: Sanskrit svanati "it sounds," svanah "sound, tone;" Latin sonus "sound, a noise," sonare "to sound;" Old Irish senim "the playing of an instrument;" Old English geswin "music, song," swinsian "to sing;" Old Norse svanr, Old English swan "swan," properly "the sounding bird."

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    conspire
    Or perhaps the notion is "to blow together" musical instruments, i.e., "to sound in unison."...
    symphony
    sifonie, simfone "musical harmony; stringed instrument" (12c., Modern French symphonie) and directly from Latin symphonia "a unison...
    a cappella
    Also denoting "that instruments are to play in unison with the voices, or that one part is to be played by a number instruments...
    concurrence
    early 15c., "a combination for some purpose, cooperation" (a sense now archaic or obsolete), from Old French concurrence (14c.) or directly from Medieval Latin concurrentia "a running together," from concurrens, present participle of concurrere "to run together, assemble hurriedl
    sound
    "noise, what is heard, sensation produced through the ear," late 13c., soun, from Old French son "sound, musical note, voice," from Latin sonus "sound, a noise," from PIE *swon-o-, from root *swen- "to sound." The unetymological -d was established c. 1350-1550 (see D). Sound-boar
    coincidence
    c. 1600, "exact correspondence in substance or nature," from French coincidence, from coincider, from Medieval Latin coincidere, literally "to fall upon together," from assimilated form of  Latin com "with, together" (see com-) + incidere "to fall upon" (from in- "upon" + co
    accord
    early 12c., "come into agreement," also "agree, be in harmony," from Old French acorder "agree, be in harmony" (12c.), from Vulgar Latin *accordare "make agree," literally "be of one heart, bring heart to heart," from Latin ad "to" (see ad-) + cor (genitive cordis) "heart" (used
    conjunction
    late 14c., "a joining or meeting of individuals or distinct things," originally of planets or stars "meeting" in the same part of the sky, from Old French conjonction "union, joining, sexual intercourse" (12c.), from Latin coniunctionem (nominative coniunctio), noun of action fro
    renounce
    late 14c., renouncen, "give up (something, especially to another), resign, surrender," from Old French renoncier "give up, cede" (12c., Modern French renoncer) and directly from Latin renuntiare "bring back word; proclaim; protest against, renounce," from re- "against" (see re-)
    sincere
    1530s, "pure, unmixed, unadulterated;" also "free from pretense or falsehood," from French sincere (16c.), from Latin sincerus, of things, "whole, clean, pure, uninjured, unmixed," figuratively "sound, genuine, pure, true, candid, truthful" (unadulterated by deceit), a word of un

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