a bene placito

adverb

a be·​ne pla·​ci·​to

ˌäˌbenēˈplächə̇ˌtō

: at pleasure : ad libitum

—used as a direction in music

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Italian

First Known Use

1825, in the meaning defined above

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!