Staccato

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -É’təʊ

Origin

From Italian staccato "detached, disconnected", past participle of staccare "to detach, separate", aphetic variant of distaccare "to separate, detach" from Middle French destacher "to detach" from Old French destachier "to detach" from - + attachier("to attach"), alteration of estachier "to fasten with or to a stake, lay claim to" from estach(e) "a stake", from Low Frankish *stakka "stake", from Proto-Germanic *stakkaz, *stakkēn ("stick, stake"), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teg- ("stick, stake"). Akin to Old High German stecko "post" (German Stecken "stick"), Old Saxon stekko "stake", Old Norse stakkr "hay stack, heap", Old English staca "stake". More at stake.

Full definition of staccato

Noun

1. (music) An articulation marking directing that a note or passage of notes are to be played in an abruptly disconnected manner, with each note sounding for a very short duration, and a short break lasting until the sounding of the next note; as opposed to legato. Staccato is indicated by a dot directly above or below the notehead.
2. (music) A passage having this mark.

Adverb

1. (music) played in this styleNow, play the same passage very staccato.

Adjective

1. (music) describing a passage having this mark
2. Made up of abruptly disconnected parts or sounds.He spoke with a deep staccato voice.

Antonyms

• legato

Anagrams

• toccatas