allegretto

[ al-i-gret-oh; Italian ahl-le-gret-taw ]

adjective

1. light, graceful, and moderately fast in tempo.

noun

, plural al·le·gret·tos.

1. an allegretto movement.

allegretto

/ ˌælɪˈɡrɛtəʊ /

adjective

1. (to be performed) fairly quickly or briskly

noun

1. a piece or passage to be performed in this manner

Word History and Origins

Origin of allegretto¹

1730–40; < Italian, equivalent to allegr ( o ) allegro + -etto -et

Word History and Origins

Origin of allegretto¹

C19: diminutive of allegro

Example Sentences

It’s in the allegretto third movement that No. 8’s Russian colors begin to show.

From Washington Post

Even Elham, her W’s no longer sounding like V’s, and her tempo improved from largo to allegretto, is eventually able to pose a challenge to Omid’s fluency.

From New York Times

A spiritual, harmonically inventive composition, it climaxes with an allegretto apparently modelled after the African-American "juba" dance once practised on US plantations.

From BBC

The aria-like allegretto offered an opportunity for Fejervari to show off his technique in layers with bass staccato notes popping against creamy treble thirds and lyrical lines.

From Washington Post

The tapping of Sara's pen against her glasses became so rhythmic that it sounded like a metronome set to allegretto.

From BBC