In music, an octave (Latin octavus: eighth) or perfect octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems". It may be derived from the harmonic series as the interval between the first and second harmonics.
The octave has occasionally been referred to as a diapason.
To emphasize that it is one of the perfect intervals (including unison, perfect fourth, and perfect fifth), the octave is designated P8. The octave above or below an indicated note is sometimes abbreviated 8va (= Italian all'ottava), or 8va bassa (= Italian all'ottava bassa, sometimes also 8vb), respectively.