staccato
/stəˈkɑːtoʊ/
noun
- A style of playing music with short, detached notes, or a passage played in that style.
- The orchestra practiced the staccato until it was perfectly crisp.
- The composer marked the section with a staccato to change the mood.
- He prefers legato over staccato for slow, emotional pieces.
adjective
- Describing a style of playing music in which each note is short, separate, and distinct, not connected smoothly.
- She practiced the staccato passage until every note was clear and detached.
- The trumpet section's staccato notes added energy to the march.
- The pianist played the melody in a crisp, staccato style.
- Having a series of short, sharp, separate sounds or movements, like a machine gun or a quick tapping.
- The woodpecker's staccato pecking was loud in the quiet forest.
- His staccato footsteps echoed down the empty hallway.
- The rain made a staccato tapping on the windowpane.
- Describing speech or writing that is made up of short, abrupt phrases or sentences, often suggesting tension or urgency.
- His staccato commands were sharp and left no room for questions.
- Her staccato replies showed she was annoyed and didn't want to talk.
- The news report used a staccato rhythm to convey the chaos of the event.
Antonyms
adverb
- In a manner that produces short, separate, distinct sounds or notes.
- The drummer hit the snare staccato, creating a sharp, rhythmic pattern.
- The violinist played the passage staccato, making each note pop.
- She spoke staccato, pausing between each word for emphasis.