timbre

timbre
    n 1: (music) the distinctive property of a complex sound (a
         voice or noise or musical sound); "the timbre of her
         soprano was rich and lovely"; "the muffled tones of the
         broken bell summoned them to meet" [syn: {timbre},
         {timber}, {quality}, {tone}]
    

Timber \Tim"ber\, n. [F. timbre. See {Timbre}.] (Her.)
   The crest on a coat of arms. [Written also {timbre}.]
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Timber \Tim"ber\, n. [Probably the same word as timber sort of
   wood; cf. Sw. timber, LG. timmer, MHG. zimber, G. zimmer, F.
   timbre, LL. timbrium. Cf. {Timmer}.] (Com.)
   A certain quantity of fur skins, as of martens, ermines,
   sables, etc., packed between boards; being in some cases
   forty skins, in others one hundred and twenty; -- called also
   {timmer}. [Written also {timbre}.]
   [1913 Webster]
    

Timbre \Tim"bre\, n.
   See 1st {Timber}.
   [1913 Webster]
    

Timbre \Tim"bre\, n. [F., a bell to be struck with a hammer,
   sound, tone, stamp, crest, in OF., a timbrel. Cf. {Timbrel}.]
   1. (Her.) The crest on a coat of arms.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. (Mus.) The quality or tone distinguishing voices or
      instruments; tone color; clang tint; as, the timbre of the
      voice; the timbre of a violin. See {Tone}, and {Partial
      tones}, under {Partial}.
      [1913 Webster]
    

19 Moby Thesaurus words for "timbre":
      Klangfarbe, clang color, color, coloring, manner of speaking,
      mode of expression, mood, resonance, spirit, tonality, tone,
      tone color, tone of voice, tone quality, voce, voice,
      voice qualifier, voice quality, way of saying