cantabile

[ kahn-tah-bi-ley, -bee-, kuhn-; Italian kahn-tah-bee-le ]

adjective

1. songlike and flowing in style.

adverb

1. in a cantabile manner.

cantabile

/ kænˈtɑːbɪlɪ /

adjective

1. (to be performed) in a singing style, i.e. flowingly and melodiously

noun

1. a piece or passage performed in this way

Word History and Origins

Origin of cantabile¹

1720–30; < Italian < Late Latin cantābilis worth singing, equivalent to Latin cantā ( re ) to sing ( cant ¹ ) + -bilis -ble

Word History and Origins

Origin of cantabile¹

Italian, from Late Latin cantābilis, from Latin cantāre to sing

Example Sentences

That opulence was readily apparent in the ceaseless flow of cantabile melodies in Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony.

From New York Times

This led to Florence Price’s wistfully lyrical Andante cantabile movement from her 1935 String Quartet No. 2, which came across with glowing richness in this version for string ensemble.

From New York Times

It’s hard to play a cantabile when your mind is a tornado, Isa thought as she started over again.

From Literature

I like very much that big duality, on one side drama and power, and on the other side such cantabile and a poetic approach to life.

From Los Angeles Times

Telemundo, using the marketing power of many NBCUniversal networks, wants to attract viewers with a different sound: Cantor’s cantabile con brio.

From Seattle Times