legato

[ luh-gah-toh; Italian le-gah-taw ]

adjective, adverbMusic.
  1. smooth and connected; without breaks between the successive tones.

Origin of legato

1
1805–15; <Italian, past participle of legare<Latin ligāre to bind

Other words from legato

  • non·le·ga·to, adjective

Words Nearby legato

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use legato in a sentence

  • Among them is veteran effects man Rob legato, who came to Cameron with the idea for the virtual camera.

    The Genius of Avatar | Kim Masters | December 13, 2009 | THE DAILY BEAST
  • He made me play it again perfectly legato, and with no one note "sticking out" more than another.

  • Double passages, such as double thirds and sixths, should be divided and each half practised separately, with legato touch.

    Piano Mastery | Harriette Brower
  • But legato does not bring the best results in rapid passages, for it does not impart sufficient clarity.

    Piano Mastery | Harriette Brower
  • The old instruction books tell us that legato must be learned first, and is the most difficult touch to acquire.

    Piano Mastery | Harriette Brower
  • When single fingers can make accurate up and down movements, we can put two fingers together and acquire a perfect legato.

    Piano Mastery | Harriette Brower

British Dictionary definitions for legato

legato

/ (lɪˈɡɑːtəʊ) music /


adjective, adverb
  1. to be performed smoothly and connectedly

nounplural -tos
    • a style of playing in which no perceptible gaps are left between notes

    • (as modifier): a legato passage

Origin of legato

1
C19: from Italian, literally: bound

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012