Chord (kôrd), n. [L chorda a gut, a string made of a gut, Gr. χορδή. In the sense of a string or small rope, in general, it is written cord. See Cord.] 1. The string of a musical instrument. Milton.
2. (Mus.) A combination of tones simultaneously performed, producing more or less perfect harmony, as, the common chord.
3. (Geom.) A right line uniting the extremities of the arc of a circle or curve.
4. (Anat.) A cord. See Cord, n., 4.
5. (Engin.) The upper or lower part of a truss, usually horizontal, resisting compression or tension. Waddell.
Accidental, Common, and Vocalchords. See under Accidental, Common, and Vocal. — Chord of an arch. See Illust. of Arch. — Chord of curvature, a chord drawn from any point of a curve, in the circle of curvature for that point. — Scale of chords. See Scale.