Designating a scale of eight notes made up of alternating tone and semitone intervals. Of a composition or musical style: based on or using octatonic scales.
Origin
1960s. From octa- + tonic, after tone.
Definition of octatonic in US English:
octatonic
adjectiveˌɒktəˈtɒnɪk
Music
Designating a scale of eight notes made up of alternating tone and semitone intervals. Of a composition or musical style: based on or using octatonic scales.