Ritardando Definition

rētär-dändō

ritardando

adjective

Gradually slowing in tempo; retarding. Used chiefly as a direction.

American Heritage

Becoming gradually slower.

Webster's New World

Synonyms:

noun

A passage to be performed ritardando.

Webster's New World

adverb

(music) Gradually decelerating the tempo of a piece of music, especially at the end of the piece.

Wiktionary

Origin of Ritardando

Italian present participle of ritardare to slow down from Latin retardāre retard¹

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition
Borrowed from Italian ritardando, gerund of ritardare (“to delay, to slow down").

From Wiktionary

Find similar words to ritardando using the buttons below.