Final answer:
A language where the sound pitch is crucial to meaning is a tonal language. The term 'timbre' refers to the quality of sound, not pitch.
Step-by-step explanation:
The language in which the sound pitch of a spoken word is an essential part of its pronunciation and meaning is known as a tonal language. This means that changing the pitch of a syllable can change the meaning of the word. For instance, in Mandarin Chinese, the syllable 'ma' could mean 'mother', 'hemp', 'horse', or 'to scold' depending on the tone used. This is different from English where pitch does not usually alter the meaning of words.
In relation to another part of the question, timbre is not the pitch of the sound, but rather the quality or color of the sound that makes it distinguishable from other sounds. It is important to understand that while timbre can help us identify different voices or instruments even if they are playing the same note, it is not the determinant of meaning in a tonal language; pitch is.