tuneless

Meanings

1. 1
   adj

   lacking a recognizable or pleasing melody; not tuneful

   A tuneless whistle drifted down the empty corridor.

2. 2
   adj

   unable to produce notes accurately or pleasantly

   The tuneless singer compensated with infectious enthusiasm.

Formed from tune + -less ("without"). Tune developed from an alteration of tone, ultimately from Greek tonos through Latin tonus. Tuneless therefore literally means "without a tune" and can describe either music lacking melody or a person who sings or whistles off-key.

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