noun

pitch

/pɪtʃ/ · say it: PICH

how high or low a sound is

In Arts & Culture

In more detail

1. (noun) the highness or lowness of a sound

2. (noun) a throw of a ball in baseball or cricket

3. (noun) the degree of slope or angle of something

4. (verb) to throw something, especially a ball

5. (verb) to set up a tent or temporary shelter

6. (noun) a sales talk or presentation to persuade someone

Examples

1. The singer hit a very high pitch during the song.
2. The pitcher's pitch was too fast for the batter to hit.
3. The roof has a steep pitch to allow rain to run off.

How to use pitch

Pitch is highly polysemous with distinct uses across music, sports, construction, and marketing. In music, it refers to the frequency of sound; in sports, to the action of throwing or the playing field; in sales, to a persuasive presentation. Context makes the intended meaning clear, though the noun uses are most common.

Common phrases

pitch perfect
perfect pitch
pitch black
pitch a tent
sales pitch
elevator pitch

Synonyms

tone · frequency · throw · toss · inclination

Word family

pitcher · pitched · pitching · pitches

A common mistake

Learners sometimes confuse 'pitch' (the act of throwing) with 'throw,' not realizing that 'pitch' in baseball specifically means to be the pitcher. Also, 'sales pitch' is sometimes rendered as 'sales pitching,' which is less standard.

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