obbligato

[ ob-li-gah-toh; Italian awb-blee-gah-taw ]
/ ˌɒb lɪˈgɑ toʊ; Italian ˌɔb bliˈgɑ tɔ /
Music.

adjective

(used as a musical direction) obligatory or indispensable; so important that it cannot be omitted.

noun, plural ob·bli·ga·tos, ob·bli·ga·ti [ob-li-gah-tee; Italian awb-blee-gah-tee] /ˌɒb lɪˈgɑ ti; Italian ˌɔb bliˈgɑ ti/.

an obbligato part or accompaniment.
a continuing or persistent subordinate or background motif.
a subordinate part of a solo.
Also obligato.

Origin of obbligato

1715–25; < Italian: bound, obliged < Latin obligātus; see obligate

Words nearby obbligato

obama, obamacare, oban, obasanjo, obb., obbligato, obclavate, obcompressed, obconic, obconical, obcordate

Example sentences from the Web for obbligato

British Dictionary definitions for obbligato

obbligato

obligato

music

adjective

not to be omitted in performance

noun plural -tos or -ti (-tiː)

an essential part in a score with oboe obbligato
See also ad-lib

Word Origin for obbligato

C18: from Italian, from obbligare to oblige