Sem"i*tone (?), n. [Pref. semi- + tone. CF. Hemitone.] Mus.
Half a tone; -- the name commonly applied to the smaller intervals of the diatonic scale.
⇒ There is an impropriety in the use of this word, and half step is now preferred. See Tone.
J. S. Dwight.
© Webster 1913.