adjective
- Musical Direction with distinct breaks between successive tones: usually indicated by a dot () placed over or under each note to be so produced
- made up of abrupt, distinct elements or sounds: a staccato outburst of gunfire
Origin:
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. staccatos
something, as a speech pattern, that is staccato