spiccato

[ spi-kah-toh; Italian speek-kah-taw ]

adjective

1. (of violin music) performed with short, abrupt, rebounding motions of the bow.

spiccato

/ spɪˈkɑːtəʊ /

noun

1. a style of playing a bowed stringed instrument in which the bow bounces lightly off the strings

adjective

1. to be played in this manner

Word History and Origins

Origin of spiccato¹

1840–50; < Italian, equivalent to spicc- (stem of spiccare to detach) + -ato < Latin -ātus -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of spiccato¹

Italian: detached, from spiccare to make distinct

Example Sentences

Which is why I often find myself most looking forward to a quiet moment when the violin, with barely noticeable accompaniment, plays a variation of the theme with bouncy spiccato and double stops.

From New York Times

The bow strokes range from a heavy, brutal martellato to a lighter spiccato so harsh and spiky as to turn the violin into a percussion instrument.

From The New Yorker

Spacek’s bow arm, too, is splendid; perfect distribution seemed to happen naturally, chords never scratched and the spiccato in the finale of the Saint-Saëns Sonata No. 1 had real teeth.

From Washington Post

And he should add some grittier sounds to his palette, as well as a more biting spiccato.

From Washington Post

And Mr. Tetzlaff was born to play the lightly bouncing spiccato flourishes in the penultimate “Mingling of Rainbows.”

From New York Times