ostinato

noun

osti·​na·​to ˌä-stə-ˈnä-(ˌ)tō How to pronounce ostinato (audio)
ˌȯ-
plural ostinatos also ostinati ˌä-stə-ˈnä-tē How to pronounce ostinato (audio)
ˌȯ-
: a musical figure repeated persistently at the same pitch throughout a composition compare imitation, sequence

Examples of ostinato in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Before the fretting reaches a head, one of Barbieri’s backing oscillators creeps forward into a nimble major-key ostinato that sounds like it was lifted from a Lorenzo Senni daydream, transforming a slight shift in timbre and time signature into a crescendo of new hope. Hattie Lindert, Pitchfork, 2 Mar. 2026 Relentless ostinato figures underscored Nosferatu’s voyage by boat. Alex Ross, New Yorker, 22 Dec. 2025 But nothing has ever come close to the tension that floods our veins at the sound of that immortal two-note ostinato, the signature of John Williams’ suspenseful score. David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 20 June 2025 The varying pace of the ostinato – a musical motif that repeats itself – elicits intensifying degrees of emotion and fear. Jared Bahir Browsh, The Conversation, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for ostinato

Word History

Etymology

Italian, obstinate, from Latin obstinatus

First Known Use

1928, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of ostinato was in 1928

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ostinato.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ostinato. Accessed 5 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on ostinato

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster