staccato

English

Etymology

From Italian staccato "detached, disconnected", past participle of staccare "to detach, separate", aphetic variant of distaccare "to separate, detach" from Middle French destacher "to detach" from Old French destachier "to detach" from des- +‎ attachier (“to attach”), alteration of estachier "to fasten with or to a stake, lay claim to" from estach(e) "a stake", from Low Frankish *stakka "stake", from Proto-Germanic *stakkaz, *stakkēn (“stick, stake”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teg- (“stick, stake”). Akin to Old High German stecko "post" (German Stecken "stick"), Old Saxon stekko "stake", Old Norse stakkr "hay stack, heap", Old English staca "stake". More at stake.

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -ɒtəʊ

Noun

staccato (plural staccatos or staccati)

1. (music) An articulation marking directing that a note or passage of notes are to be played in an abruptly disconnected manner, with each note sounding for a very short duration, and a short break lasting until the sounding of the next note; as opposed to legato. Staccato is indicated by a dot directly above or below the notehead.
2. (music) A passage having this mark.

Adverb

staccato (comparative more staccato, superlative most staccato)

1. (music) played in this style

   Now, play the same passage very staccato.

Adjective

staccato (comparative more staccato, superlative most staccato)

1. (music) describing a passage having this mark
2. Made up of abruptly disconnected parts or sounds.

   He spoke with a deep staccato voice.

Antonyms

• legato

Anagrams

• toccatas

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Italian

Etymology

From staccare (“to detach, separate”).

Verb

staccato m (feminine staccata, masculine plural staccati, feminine plural staccate)

1. Past participle of staccare
2. Past participle of staccarsi

Adjective

staccato m (f staccata, m plural staccati, f plural staccate)

1. disjointed, disunited, separate
2. loose (pages in a book)
3. (sports) outdistanced

Noun

staccato m (plural staccati)

1. staccato

Anagrams

• stoccata