Chord vs Cord
Published January 18, 2023. Updated January 18, 2023.
Chord and cord look and sound similar, but they have different meanings and uses. Chord means a collection of musical notes played at one time. Chord can also refer to an emotional response. In contrast, cord is a long, thin object somewhere between the thickness of a string and a rope. Many think of an electric cord—what you use to plug in your cell phone, laptop, or TV.
Here are some definitions and examples to help clarify the use of these words.
Chord (noun)
three or more musical tones sounded at once
Examples:
The tones of the violin, cello, and fiddle combined to form a beautiful chord.
The appeal to emotion struck a chord with the audience.
In the first example, chord describes the combined sound of three musical instruments. Note that three instruments are involved—technically, a chord is the sound of three or more musical instruments at once. In the second example, chord is used to describe an emotional response.
Cord (noun)
thin, flexible material
Examples:
We could power the fog machine using an extension cord.
The father cut the baby’s umbilical cord.
These two examples describe two very different kinds of cords, but nonetheless, the word is used to describe a thin, flexible material that connects one thing to another.
Main Points
- Chord refers to three or more musical tones sounded at once.
- Cord refers to a thin, flexible material often used to connect one thing to another.
- Chord can also refer to an emotional response.
- Cord is commonly used to refer to electrical cords, but it is also used in anatomy (e.g. spinal cord and umbilical cord).