ritenuto

[ ree-tuh-noo-toh; Italian ree-te-noo-taw ]
/ ˌri təˈnu toʊ; Italian ˌri tɛˈnu tɔ /

adverb, adjective

(of a passage in a musical score) immediately slower.

Origin of ritenuto

1820–30; < Italian: literally, held back, past participle of ritenere; see retain

Words nearby ritenuto

rite, rite de passage, rite of intensification, rite of passage, rite of spring, the, ritenuto, rites of passage, ritornello, ritschlian, ritter, ritter's disease

British Dictionary definitions for ritenuto

ritenuto
/ (ˌrɪtəˈnuːtəʊ) /

adjective, adverb music

held back momentarily
another term for rallentando
Abbreviation: rit

Word Origin for ritenuto

C19: from Italian, from past participle of ritenere, from Latin retinēre to hold back