Why this word is great
POLYHARMONY — [Noun] The simultaneous sounding of distinct, internally coherent harmonies, creating a complex but unified sonic texture. From the combining form poly- (from Greek polys, meaning "many") + harmony (from Greek harmonia, meaning "joint, agreement, concord of sounds"), a fusion that promises concord from multiplicity. Unlike polytonality, which fixates on the architectural clash of distinct tonal centers, or dissonance, which denotes a grating, unresolved tension, polyharmony is the artful vertical stacking of separate concords. It is the shimmering veil of a tuned percussion section laid over a string quartet's warm chorale; it is the visual effect of tracing paper overlaying a map, where cities and rivers from different continents align into an impossible geography; it is the layered scent of rain on hot asphalt, woodsmoke, and blooming jasmine—distinct strands that combine into a single, richer atmosphere. It is the auditory proof that profound agreement need not be unison, but a fragile concord of many.