spiccato

[ spi-kah-toh; Italian speek-kah-taw ]
/ spɪˈkɑ toʊ; Italian spikˈkɑ tɔ /

adjective

(of violin music) performed with short, abrupt, rebounding motions of the bow.

Origin of spiccato

1840–50; < Italian, equivalent to spicc- (stem of spiccare to detach) + -ato < Latin -ātus -ate1

Example sentences from the Web for spiccato

  • Spiccato is generally held to be more difficult than staccato; yet I myself find it easier.

    Violin Mastery |Frederick H. Martens
  • The martellato, a nuance of spiccato, should be played with a firm bowing at the point.

    Violin Mastery |Frederick H. Martens

British Dictionary definitions for spiccato

spiccato
/ (spɪˈkɑːtəʊ) music /

noun

a style of playing a bowed stringed instrument in which the bow bounces lightly off the strings

adjective, adverb

to be played in this manner

Word Origin for spiccato

Italian: detached, from spiccare to make distinct