undertone: Meaning and Definition of

un•der•tone

Pronunciation: (un'dur-tōn"), [key]
— n.
  1. a low or subdued tone: to speak in undertones.
  2. an unobtrusive or background sound: an undertone of static from the receiver.
  3. an underlying quality or element; undercurrent: There was an undertone of regret in his refusal.
  4. a subdued color; a color modified by an underlying color.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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