obbligato

English

Alternative forms

• obligato

Etymology

From Italian obbligato. Piecewise doublet of obliged.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɒblɪˈɡɑːtəʊ/

Noun

obbligato (plural obbligatos or obbligati)

1. (music) An obbligato section; a prominent countermelody, often written to be played or sung above the principal theme (in a higher pitch range). [from 19th c.]
   • 1953, Raymond Chandler, The Long Goodbye, Penguin, published 2010, page 281:

     The noise of the traffic outside the building on the boulevard made an unmusical obbligato to my thinking.

Translations

obbligato section

• Italian: obbligato (it)

See also

• descant

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin obligātus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ob.bliˈɡa.to/
• Rhymes: -ato
• Hyphenation: ob‧bli‧gà‧to

Adjective

obbligato (feminine obbligata, masculine plural obbligati, feminine plural obbligate, superlative obbligatissimo)

1. obliged, compelled, constrained, forced, bound

   Synonyms: costretto, vincolato

2. obligatory, unavoidable, forced

   Synonyms: imposto, inevitabile, obbligatorio

3. obliged, indebted

   Synonyms: grato, riconoscente

4. fixed, set

   Synonym: fisso

   percorso obbligato ― fixed course

5. (music) obbligato

Derived terms

• obbligatamente

Related terms

• obbligare
• obbligatorio

Noun

obbligato m (plural obbligati, feminine obbligata)

1. obligator, obligor

   Synonym: obbligante

Participle

obbligato (feminine obbligata, masculine plural obbligati, feminine plural obbligate)

1. past participle of obbligare