sight-read

[ sahyt-reed ]

verb (used with or without object)

sightreading [sahyt, -ree-ding].sightread [sahyt, -red],

1. to read, play, or sing without previous practice, rehearsal, or study of the material to be treated:

   to sight-read music; to sight-read another language.

sight-read

/ ˈsaɪtˌriːd /

verb

1. to sing or play (music in a printed or written form) without previous preparation

Derived Forms

• ˈsight-ˌreading, noun
• ˈsight-ˌreader, noun

Other Words From

• sight-read·er [sahyt, -ree-der], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of sight-read¹

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

I bought myself a piano, taught myself how to sight-read, which is how I started this album.

From Los Angeles Times

He came roaring out of Pittsburgh with a reputation for an extraordinary musical vocabulary, able to sight-read Bach as easily as a chart by Count Basie, and found himself in great demand as a sideman.

From Washington Post

Phonics is a great way to get kids to sight-read, but whole-language learning in sentences is an important motivating factor.

From Washington Post

In an early scene, she refers to the ability to sight-read music: to pick up a page of sheet music and play, without rehearsal or fear.

From Washington Post

Luckily, a career detour, a shorter haircut or a new diet don’t define her essence; she still knows how to sight-read without restraint.

From Los Angeles Times