What does mi mean?
Mi is the third note of the solfège system, the traditional method of teaching and naming the notes of a musical scale. The sequence ut, re, mi, fa, sol, la, si helped singers learn intervals and locate pitches by syllable; ut was later replaced with do, producing the familiar do-re-mi-fa-sol-la-si sequence. In fixed-do solfège, mi corresponds to the pitch E, while in movable-do solfège it represents the third degree of the current scale. The word is also used as a singing syllable, so a musician may sing “mi” rather than name the corresponding pitch. Although it is now most closely associated with music education and familiar songs, the syllables have a much older history, with the Italian terms forming part of a medieval system for naming musical notes.
nounThe third note of the solfège system, corresponding to the pitch E in the key of C. The word is also used as a sung syllable for that note.
- The third note of the solfège system, corresponding to E in the key of C; also the sung syllable representing that note.
"The choir sang the note mi with a clear, sustained sound."
"The teacher asked the class to sing mi after re."
"The melody rises from sol to la and then returns to mi."
The word is almost always used in the singular and is rarely pluralized.
"The exercises move through all the solfège notes from do to mi."
In the familiar solfège sequence, the syllables began with the word ut, which was eventually replaced by do so that the sequence would begin and end on different sounds.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does mi come from?
The word comes from Italian, where mi was one of the syllables used in the medieval solmisation system for teaching Gregorian chant. The system was adapted from a set of mnemonic syllables associated with the hymn Ut queant laxis, and later Italian musicians developed the familiar sequence ut re mi fa sol la. The original ut was eventually replaced by do in the eighteenth century, while the other traditional syllables were retained.
How mi is actually used
Mi is primarily used in musical instruction, singing, and discussions of solfège. In fixed-do solfège it denotes E regardless of the key; in movable-do solfège it denotes the third scale degree.
Easily confused with mi
“Mi” names a musical note and solfège syllable, whereas “me” is a pronoun used to refer to the speaker.