An Etymological Dictionary of the German Language/Ton

by Friedrich Kluge

Ton, m., ‘tone, sound,’ from MidHG. tôn, dôn, m., ‘sound, tone, voice, song melody’; from Gr.-Lat. tŏnus (τόνος), with lengthening of the ŏ; comp. Thron. Hence ModHG. tönen, vb., ‘to sound, resound,’ from MidHG. tœnen, dœnen.