Degree (music) - Definition and Overview

In music or music theory a scale degree is an individual note of a scale, both its pitch and its diatonic function. First, second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh, or the appropriate roman numerals, may be used to indicate degree as well as tonic, supertonic, mediant, subdominant, dominant, submediant, subtonic, and leading tone. For instance, the chord built upon the fifth scale degree, or dominant, will also be called the five (V) or dominant chord.