tempo

noun

tem·​po ˈtem-(ˌ)pō 

plural tempi ˈtem-(ˌ)pē  or tempos

1

: the rate of speed of a musical piece or passage indicated by one of a series of directions (such as largo, presto, or allegro) and often by an exact metronome marking

2

: rate of motion or activity : pace

Examples of tempo in a Sentence

The song has a slow tempo.

The composition has many changes of tempo.

We walked at a fast tempo.

The tempo of the game slowed down.

The dance starts out fast and then switches tempo.

Recent Examples on the Web

Cain’s version keeps the core emotions of the original, but expands them into a nearly 10-minute dreamscape, played at half tempo as Cain’s signature breathy vocals caress every syllable. —Samantha Riedel, Them, 6 Sep. 2024

The hallmark of a great patter song is a fast tempo paired with a swift sequence of rhythmic patterns, where each syllable of the text aligns with a single note. —Meredith Woerner, Variety, 15 Aug. 2024

In defeating England, 2-1, on Sunday in the European Championship final, Spain set the tempo with 63 percent of the possession and a 15-9 shot advantage. —Thomas Floyd, Washington Post, 15 July 2024

With President Joe Biden out of the running, the entire tempo of the Democratic campaign has shifted. —Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 9 Aug. 2024

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian, "time, rate of speed (in music)," going back to Latin tempor-, tempus "time, period of time, season," of uncertain origin

Note: If it originally meant "extent, measure" (hence, "extent of time"), Latin tempus could go back to an s-stem noun *temp-es- derived from an Indo-European verb base *temp- "stretch, extend," seen in Lithuanian tempiù, tem͂pti "to stretch, bend (a bow)," tìmpa "sinew, bowstring," Tocharian A & B cämp- "be able to" (if "stretch, exert effort" > "exert sufficient effort, be able"), and perhaps Old Norse þǫmb "womb, guts, bowstring." Though these are possibilities, the sum of comparable evidence for the etymon is not overwhelming.

First Known Use

circa 1724, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing tempo

• a tempo
• up-tempo

Kids Definition

tempo

noun

tem·​po ˈtem-pō 

plural tempi -pē  or tempos

1

: the rate of speed at which a musical piece or passage is to be played or sung

2

: rate of motion or activity