adagio

1 of 2

adverb or adjective

ada·​gio ə-ˈdä-j(ē-ˌ)ō How to pronounce adagio (audio)
ä-,
-zh(ē-ˌ)ō
: at a slow tempo
used chiefly as a direction in music

adagio

2 of 2

noun

plural adagios
1
: a musical composition or movement in adagio tempo
2
: a ballet duet by a man and woman or a mixed trio displaying difficult feats of balance, lifting, or spinning

Examples of adagio in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Adverb or adjective
Next comes adagio work, or slower sustained movements and balances, without the aid of a barre. New York Times, 25 Mar. 2020 But in the sublime, time-stopping Poco adagio, the gentle purr of the organ beneath the orchestra sounds one-dimensional. Barbara Jepson, WSJ, 31 Dec. 2018
Noun
One dancer did classical ballet steps on a Parisian rooftop, including an expressive adagio. NBC News, 27 July 2024 Advertisement The adagio, with pulsating string textures and grinding suspensions over dutiful baroque harmonic sequences leads into an aggressive, if academic, fugue. Luke Schulze, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Oct. 2023 See all Example Sentences for adagio 

Word History

Etymology

Adverb or adjective

borrowed from Italian, from the phrase ad agio, literally, "at ease," from ad, a "to, at" (going back to Latin ad) + agio "ease, convenience," borrowed from Old French aise, eise — more at at entry 1, ease entry 1

Noun

borrowed from Italian, derivative of adagio adagio entry 1

First Known Use

Adverb Or Adjective

1680, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1683, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of adagio was in 1680

Dictionary Entries Near adagio

Cite this Entry

“Adagio.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adagio. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

adagio

1 of 2 adverb or adjective
ada·​gio ə-ˈdäj-ō How to pronounce adagio (audio)
-ˈdäj-ē-ˌō,
-ˈdäzh-
: in an easy graceful manner : slowly
used as a direction in music

adagio

2 of 2 noun
1
: a musical composition or movement in adagio tempo
2
: a ballet duet or trio displaying difficult feats of balance, lifting, or spinning
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