staccato Definition
stac·cato (stə kät′ō)
adjective
- Musical Direction with distinct breaks between successive tones: usually indicated by a dot (staccato mark) placed over or under each note to be so produced
- made up of abrupt, distinct elements or sounds a staccato outburst of gunfire
Etymology: It, pp. of staccare, aphetic for distaccare, to detach < di(s)- (< L, dis-) + Frank *stakka: see stick
adverb
so as to be staccato; in a staccato manner
noun pl. -·tos
something, as a speech pattern, that is staccato
staccato Usage Examples
Modifies a noun
- riff: I played chords and staccato riffs over the top.
- rhythm: He's sitting there, unkempt, in front of an ancient typewriter into which two fingers punch a staccato rhythm.
- burst: This is a mid paced song with slower sections of instrumentation followed by short staccato bursts of melody.
- beat: The music is played with a staccato beat in keeping with the vigorous expressive movements of the dancers.
- guitar: His first featured a soaring and diving vocal merged with staccato guitar and was played with much gusto.
- style: I wrote the first chapters in the staccato style in which he then spoke.
Browse dictionary entries near staccato
- ‹ stablish
- ‹ stabling
- ‹ stablemate
- ‹ stableman
- ‹ stableboy
- ‹ stable value fund
- ‹ stable
- ‹ stabilizer
- ‹ stabilize
- ‹ Stability and Growth Pact
- stack ›
- Stack frame ›
- Stack Smashing ›
- stack the deck or the cards ›
- stack up ›
- stacked ›
- stackup ›
- stacte ›
- Stacy ›
- staddle ›

