Alberti bass

noun

Al·​ber·​ti bass al-ˈbər-tē How to pronounce Alberti bass (audio)
äl-ˈber-
: a repeated accompaniment figure (see figure entry 1 sense 15) common in 18th-century keyboard music that usually consists of the notes of a triad played in steady eighth or sixteenth notes in the order lowest-highest-middle-highest

Word History

Etymology

after Domenico Alberti † about 1740 Italian musician

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of Alberti bass was in 1845

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near Alberti bass

Cite this Entry

“Alberti bass.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Alberti%20bass. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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