In music what does half-diminished mean?

In music, a half-diminished chord refers to a type of chord that contains three different notes. Here's how it's constructed:

- Root: The root note of the chord is the same as the name of the chord. For instance, in a C half-diminished chord, the root note is C.

- Flatted Third: The third note of the chord is lowered by one half step (semitone). Using our C half-diminished chord as an example, the third note would be Eb instead of E.

- Flattened Fifth: The fifth note of the chord is also lowered by one half step. In the case of C half-diminished, the fifth note would be Gb rather than G.

So, a C half-diminished chord would consist of the notes C, Eb, and Gb.

Half-diminished chords have a unique sound that adds tension and color to a musical composition. They're often used in jazz, classical, and other genres of music.