alla breve
[ ah-luh brev-ey; Italian ahl-lah bre-ve ]
/ ˈɑ lə ˈbrɛv eɪ; Italian ˈɑl lɑ ˈbrɛ vɛ /
adverb, adjective Music.
using the half note as the basic time unit; 2/2 time. Symbol: 
Also called
cut time.
Compare
common time.
Origin of alla breve
1800–10; < Italian: in short time, accelerated. See
brief
Words nearby alla breve
all-terrain vehicle,
all-time,
all-weather,
all-wheel drive,
all-year,
alla breve,
alla marcia,
alla prima,
alla vostra salute,
allachesthesia,
allah
British Dictionary definitions for alla breve
alla breve
/ (ˈælə ˈbreɪvɪ, Italian ˈalla ˈbrɛːve) /
noun
a musical time signature indicating two or four minims to a bar
adjective, adverb
twice as fast as normal
Usual symbol: Symbol:
Word Origin for alla breve
C19: Italian, literally: (according) to the breve