Tertian

Tertian

: "Tertial" redirects here. For the feathers in a birds wing, see tertials".In music or music theory, tertian is the quality of a chord constructed from thirds, and other things constructed from thirds such as counterpoint. A third may be either minor (3 semitones) or major (4 semitones). Example: the interval A-C is a minor third, because it encompasses 3 semitones (A-Bb, Bb-B, B-C), and C-E is a major third, because it encompasses 4 semitones (C-Db, Db-D, D-Eb, Eb-E).

Chords which may be considered as built from sixths are actually tertian because of inversion. Example: the interval C-A is a major sixth. The inversion is that the interval A-C defines a minor third.

Note that the root progression between tertian chords is most often not by third but by perfect fifth (or its inversion perfect fourth).

Other uses

* Tertian is a term used at some universities to describe students in the third year of their studies, or the normal standard reached by a student after this time. This description is also the definition for Junior.
* Recurring at approximately 48-hour intervals —used of malaria.

ee also

*Secundal
*Quartal and quintal harmony
*Polychord

External links

* Definition of [http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tertian tertian] in the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary
* Definition of [http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/tertian tertian] at dictionary.com


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  • tertian — [tʉr′shən] adj. [ME tercian < L (febris) tertiana, tertian (fever) < tertius,THIRD] occurring every other day so that it happens on the first and third days: usually applied to fever or a disease causing it, esp. any of certain forms of… …   English World dictionary

  • Tertian — Ter tian, a. [L. tertianus, from tertius the third. See {Tierce}.] (Med.) Occurring every third day; as, a tertian fever. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Tertian — Ter tian, n. [L. tertiana (sc. febris): cf. OF. tertiane.] 1. (Med.) A disease, especially an intermittent fever, which returns every third day, reckoning inclusively, or in which the intermission lasts one day. [1913 Webster] 2. A liquid measure …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Tertian — (v. lat.), 1) dreitägig. Daher Tertiana (Tertianfieber), dreitägiges Wechselfieber. T. cholerĭca, Cholera unter der Form eines dreitägigen Wechselfiebers auftretend. T. continua, so v.w. Hemitritaeus (s.d.). 2) eine Mixtur aus Terz u. Quinte… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

  • Tertiān — (lat.), dreitägig; Tertianfieber, Fieber, das jeden dritten Tag eintritt (s. Malaria, S. 161) …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Tertian — Tertiān (lat.), dreitägig; Tertianfieber, an jedem dritten Tage wiederkehrendes Fieber. (S. Wechselfieber.) …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Tertian — Tertian, lat. deutsch, dreitägig; tertiär, der dritte in einer Reihe od. Folge; Tertiärformation, diejenigen Schichten (Kalk, Mergel, Thon, Sandstein, Conglommerate), welche zwischen dem Flötzgebirge, der secundären Formation und dem Diluvium… …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • tertian — /terr sheuhn/, adj. 1. Pathol. (of a malarial fever, etc.) characterized by paroxysms that recur every other day. n. 2. Pathol. a tertian fever. 3. a Jesuit during the period of tertianship. [1325 75; ME terciane < L (febris) tertiana tertian… …   Universalium

  • tertian — Recurring every third day, counting the day of an episode as the first; actually, occurring every 48 hours or every other day. [L. tertianus, fr. tertius, third] double t. denoting malarial infections with two different sets of organisms… …   Medical dictionary

  • tertian — /ˈtɜʃən/ (say tershuhn) adjective 1. recurring every other day, or, if considered inclusively, every third day. –noun 2. a tertian fever or ague, especially a form of malaria characterised by paroxysms associated with the 48 hour life cycle of… …  

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