English

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.
   • 1891, Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray:

     The same nervous staccato laugh broke from her thin lips, and her fingers began to play with a long tortoise-shell paper-knife.

Antonyms

• (music): legato

Anagrams

• toccatas

Italian

Etymology

From staccare ‎(“to detach, separate”).

Verb

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

1. past participle of staccare
2. past participle of staccarsi

Adjective

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

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

Noun

staccato m ‎(plural staccati)

1. staccato

Anagrams

• stoccata