allentando

adverb (or adjective)

al·​len·​tan·​do

¦älə̇n¦tän(ˌ)dō,

¦al-,

¦alə̇n¦ta-

: in a manner becoming relaxed in tempo

—used as a direction in music

Word History

Etymology

Italian, making slack, making slow, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin allentandum, gerund of (assumed) Vulgar Latin allentare to make slack, make slow, from Latin ad- + lentare to bend, prolong, from lentus flexible, slow, sluggish

First Known Use

circa 1841, in the meaning defined above

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