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brassiness

brassiness

6.7
A bright, harsh metal sound like a trumpet
  • noun
  • /ˈbræsɪnəs/
translation icon : brillantez
  • The musician loved the brassiness of the trumpet, which added a vibrant energy to their performance.

Examples

  • You can hear the brassiness in her voice when she sings, giving it a unique and powerful character.

  • The band showcased the brassiness of the saxophone, creating a distinctive and sharp sound that captivated the audience.

  • Ruscha, California painting seems utterly lacking in the bright brassiness of much East Coast Pop, implying that for her, and presumably for many at the time, New York Pop constituted a gold standard against which L.A. and other "schools" of Pop must be measured.

    Academic text (2005)

Synonyms

jangle
vsbrassiness
10 6.5

A harsh metal ringing sound like keys or coins

is metallic and harsh without implying discordant tones
metallicity
vsbrassiness
  • Specialized
9.2

A bright, ringing sound like metal that is sharp and clear

is harsher and more cutting than that general metallike timbre

Antonyms

1 1.6

A quiet, gentle sound, like a whisper or soft music

A smooth, rich feeling that makes music or food pleasant

Surface Forms

brassiness singular
brassinesses plural

Morphology

brassiness = brassy (transparent) = brass + y + ness

Formed by adding the standard noun-forming suffix '-ness' to the adjective 'brassy'; the meaning 'quality of being brassy (soundlike brass instruments)' is directly derived.

Etymology

The word brassiness comes from brass, the metal used for trumpets and other instruments that make a 'bright, metallic sound'. So brassiness describes a sound that is bold, loud, and a little harsh like those instruments.