staccato

adjective

stac·​ca·​to stə-ˈkä-(ˌ)tō 

1

a

: cut short or apart in performing : disconnected

staccato notes

b

: marked by short clear-cut playing or singing of tones or chords

a staccato style

2

: abrupt, disjointed

staccato screams

staccato adverb

staccato noun

Did you know?

English has borrowed a number of words from Italian that instruct on how a piece of music should be played. Examples include "allegro" ("at a brisk lively tempo"), "adagio" ("at a slow tempo"), and "fortissimo" ("very loud"). The instruction "staccato" describes music composed of tones that are short and noncontinuous rather than smoothly flowing together (a style noted by the instruction "legato"). Staccato derives from the past participle of the Italian verb staccare, meaning "to detach," and can now describe anything - not just sounds - made, done, or happening in an abrupt or disjointed way.

Examples of staccato in a Sentence

the staccato blasts of a horn

Recent Examples on the Web

Back when games were still played mostly in arcades, they were usually based around a staccato interplay of repetition and progression—the faster a player failed, the sooner they could be lured into putting in more money. —Gabriel Winslow-Yost, Harper's Magazine, 23 Sep. 2024

The staccato repetition of limbs and hands and toes turns the scene into a dance of death. —Judith Shulevitz, The Atlantic, 5 Oct. 2024

The writing is assured, propulsive, staccato, and witty. —Lily Ruth Hardman, IndieWire, 16 Sep. 2024

An aggressively staccato piece with an ever-present rumbling on the bass side on the keyboard turned into a Jelly Roll Morton-esque swing. —Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 2 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from past participle of staccare to detach, from s- ex- (from Latin ex-) + attaccare to attack, attach, perhaps from Old French estachier — more at attach

First Known Use

circa 1724, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing staccato

• staccato mark

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Kids Definition

staccato

adjective

stac·​ca·​to stə-ˈkät-ō 

1

: cut short so as not to sound connected

staccato notes

2

: made up of rapid disconnected elements or sounds

staccato blasts of a horn

staccato adverb

staccato noun