staccato
[ stuh-kah-toh ]
/ stəˈkɑ toʊ /
adjective
shortened and detached when played or sung: staccato notes.
characterized by performance in which the notes are abruptly disconnected: a staccato style of playing.
Compare legato.
composed of or characterized by abruptly disconnected elements; disjointed: rapid-fire, staccato speech.
adverb
in a staccato manner.
noun, plural stac·ca·tos, stac·ca·ti [stuh-kah-tee] /stəˈkɑ ti/.
performance in a staccato manner.
a staccato passage.
Origin of staccato
1715–25; < Italian: disconnected, past participle of
staccare (derivative of
stacca pole < Gothic, but taken as a variant of
distaccare to
detach)
Words nearby staccato
stabler,
stabling,
stablish,
stabroek,
stacc.,
staccato,
staccato mark,
staccato speech,
stacey,
stachys,
stacia
Example sentences from the Web for staccato
British Dictionary definitions for staccato
staccato
/ (stəˈkɑːtəʊ) /
adjective
music
(of notes) short, clipped, and separate
characterized by short abrupt sounds, as in speech
a staccato command
adverb
(esp used as a musical direction) in a staccato manner
Word Origin for staccato
C18: from Italian, from
staccare to detach, shortened from
distaccare
Cultural definitions for staccato
staccato
[ (stuh-kah-toh) ]
A direction in music meaning that the notes should be performed in an abrupt, sharp, clear-cut manner.
notes for staccato
The term
staccato has been applied generally to things that occur in rapid bursts, such as gunfire.