Which musical term refers to the raised 7th degree in the harmonic minor scale?

In the context of the harmonic minor scale, the term that refers to the raised 7th degree is known as the leading tone. This scale is characterized by the natural minor scale with a raised 7th, which plays a significant role in establishing tonal direction and resolution within the music. The raised 7th degree creates a half-step relationship with the tonic, which is what gives it the characteristic 'leading' quality, as it 'leads' up to the tonic note.

This concept is essential in harmony and voice leading since the leading tone resolves upward to the tonic, creating a sense of tension and release.

The other terms refer to different musical concepts: the subdominant is the fourth scale degree or chord, the minor 7th refers to a specific interval that includes the flat seventh note from the root of a minor scale, and the dominant 7th is a chord built on the fifth scale degree that includes both the major third and minor seventh. These terms do not describe the raised 7th degree in the harmonic minor scale, thus making leading tone the correct answer.