Definition of Staccato

1. Adjective. (music) marked by or composed of disconnected parts or sounds; cut short crisply. "Staccato notes"

Exact synonyms: Disconnected
Category relationships: Music
Similar to: Abrupt, Disconnected
Derivative terms: Disconnectedness
Antonyms: Legato

2. Adverb. Separating the notes; in music. "Play this staccato, please"
Antonyms: Legato

Definition of Staccato

1. a. Disconnected; separated; distinct; -- a direction to perform the notes of a passage in a short, distinct, and pointed manner. It is opposed to legato, and often indicated by heavy accents written over or under the notes, or by dots when the performance is to be less distinct and emphatic.

Definition of Staccato

1. Noun. (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. ¹

2. Noun. (music) A passage having this mark. ¹

3. Adverb. (music) played in this style ¹

4. Adjective. (music) describing a passage having this mark ¹

5. Adjective. Made up of abruptly disconnected parts or sounds. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Staccato

1. a musical passage marked by the short, clear-cut playing of tones [n -TOS or -TI]

Medical Definition of Staccato

1. 1. Disconnected; separated; distinct; a direction to perform the notes of a passage in a short, distinct, and pointed manner. It is opposed to legato, and often indicated by heavy accents written over or under the notes, or by dots when the performance is to be less distinct and emphatic. 2. Expressed in a brief, pointed manner. "Staccato and peremptory [literary criticism]" (G. Eliot) Origin: It, p.p. Of staccere, equivalent to distaccare. See Detach. Source: Websters Dictionary (01 Mar 1998)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Staccato

stablishes
stablishing
stablishment
stablishments
stablisht
stably
stabproof
stabs
stabulation
stabulations
stabvest
stabwound
stabwounds
staccati
staccatissimo
staccato (current term)
staccato speech
staccatos
stache
staches
stachybotryotoxicosis
stachybotrys
stachydrine
stachyose
stachyses
stack
stack-guard
stack-guards
stack away
stack off

Literary usage of Staccato

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians by George Grove (1908)
"K. There is a head of him in Kay's Edinburgh staccato (Ital. ... The notes of a staccato passage are made short, and separated from each other IT intervals ..."

2. Modern Music and Musicians by Louis Charles Elson (1918)
"THE OCTAVE staccato BY XAVER SCHARWENKA Positive and Negative staccato—Position and Attack in Each —Production of the Octave staccato—Development of the ..."

3. Violin Playing as I Teach it by Leopold Auer (1921)
"Wieniawski, however, was decidedly the most brilliant exponent of the staccato stroke. He used the upper arm only, stiffening the wrist to a point of actual ..."

4. Violin Playing as I Teach it by Leopold Auer (1921)
"Wieniawski, however, was decidedly the most brilliant exponent of the staccato stroke. He used the upper arm only, stiffening the wrist to a point of actual ..."

5. University Musical Encyclopedia by Louis Charles Elson (1912)
"THE OCTAVE staccato BY XAVER SCHARWENKA Positive and Negative staccato—Position and Attack in Each —Production of the Octave staccato—Development of the ..."

6. The Gentleman's Magazine (1814)
"The divisions of the work before us are thus entitled: 1. of Legato; 2. of staccato; 3. of mixed expression; 4. of Legato partial ; 6. staccato forced; 6. ..."

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