pianoforte

[ pee-an-uh-fawrt, -fohrt; pee-an-uh-fawr-tee, -tey, -fohr- ]

noun

1. a piano.

pianoforte

/ pɪˈænəʊˈfɔːtɪ /

noun

1. the full name for piano 1

pianoforte

1. The full name of the piano , the common musical instrument with a board of black and white keys, eighty-eight in all. The keys operate hammers that strike wires. Pianoforte is Italian for “soft-loud”; it received this name because its level of loudness depends on how hard the player strikes the keys.

Word History and Origins

Origin of pianoforte¹

1760–70; < Italian ( gravecembalo col ) piano e forte literally, (harpsicord with) soft and loud, equivalent to piano soft ( piano ² ) + forte loud ( forte ² )

Word History and Origins

Origin of pianoforte¹

C18: from Italian, originally ( gravecembalo col ) piano e forte (harpsichord with) soft and loud; see piano ², forte ²

Example Sentences

I also include the pianoforte instrument in the arias, sometimes, for joyful moments — like the kisses of Zerlina, a little bit in the spirit of Mozart, what he would do.

From New York Times

And in "Persuasion," Anne Elliot is a consummate musician but does not envy the more showy accomplishments of the Musgrove sisters who play the harp, while she is still on the old-fashioned pianoforte.

From Salon

The instrument commonly called the "piano" by the way, was originally called a "pianoforte" because it could play dynamics, unlike earlier popular keyboard instruments like the harpsichord and spinet.

From Literature

"She not only plays sitar and maruli, but pianoforte too," adds Kate.

From Salon

In 1961, she wrote a textbook - Music at Your Fingertips: Aspects of Pianoforte Technique - which remains in print, and later joined the Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, first as an artist-in-residence, then as a faculty member.

From BBC

Related Words

• grand piano
• instrument
• keyboard