noun

tone

Translation

tone, manner, shade, note

His voice had a serious tone.

I like the warm tones in this painting.

The dial tone is a continuous sound.

an ((adjective)) tone a particular kind of tone He used a friendly tone.

in a ... tone in a particular manner She spoke in a quiet tone.

Synonyms: pitch, inflection, mood, hue

From Greek 'tonos' meaning 'stretching, tension, pitch'.

Think of a telephone's 'dial tone' or the 'tone' of a muscle. It refers to a specific quality.