staccato
adjective
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English has borrowed a number of words from Italian that instruct on how a piece of music should be played. Examples include "allegro" ("at a brisk lively tempo"), "adagio" ("at a slow tempo"), and "fortissimo" ("very loud"). The instruction "staccato" describes music composed of tones that are short and noncontinuous rather than smoothly flowing together (a style noted by the instruction "legato"). Staccato derives from the past participle of the Italian verb staccare, meaning "to detach," and can now describe anything - not just sounds - made, done, or happening in an abrupt or disjointed way.
Examples of staccato in a Sentence
Gabriel Winslow-Yost, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024
The staccato repetition of limbs and hands and toes turns the scene into a dance of death.
—Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 5 Oct. 2024
The writing is assured, propulsive, staccato, and witty.
—Lily Ruth Hardman, IndieWire, 16 Sep. 2024
An aggressively staccato piece with an ever-present rumbling on the bass side on the keyboard turned into a Jelly Roll Morton-esque swing.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 2 Aug. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Staccato.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/staccato. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.
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staccato
adjective
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