piano

1 of 2

adverb or adjective

pi·​a·​no pē-ˈä-(ˌ)nō How to pronounce piano (audio)
: at a soft volume : soft
used as a direction in music

piano

2 of 2

noun

pi·​ano pē-ˈa-(ˌ)nō How to pronounce piano (audio)
also
-ˈä- How to pronounce piano (audio)
plural pianos
: a musical instrument having steel wire strings that sound when struck by felt-covered hammers operated from a keyboard

Examples of piano in a Sentence

Noun Do you play the piano? He takes piano lessons on Wednesdays.
Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
At Wheaton College in Illinois and the Juilliard School in New York City, Nelson studied piano and conducting. Domenica Bongiovanni, IndyStar, 2 July 2025 There’s plenty pleasing the eye at the elegant restaurant adorned with shiny chandeliers, red velvet booths, a bountiful display of red roses, a red piano atop the bar, and art deco-inspired pieces on the walls. Amanda Hancock, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025 Her backup in this vein comes from a band led by her husband, Dave Blume, an accomplished instrumentalist who plays bass, piano, organ and vibes. Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 Howard is a rare performer gifted at all facets of the stage including with the bass, guitar, piano and ukulele. Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for piano

Word History

Etymology

Adverb or adjective

Italian, from Late Latin planus smooth, from Latin, level — more at floor

Noun

Italian, short for pianoforte, from gravicembalo col piano e forte, literally, harpsichord with soft and loud; from the fact that its tones could be varied in loudness

First Known Use

Adverb Or Adjective

1683, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1772, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of piano was in 1683

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Piano.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/piano. Accessed 15 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

piano

1 of 2 adverb or adjective
pi·​a·​no pē-ˈän-ō How to pronounce piano (audio)
: in a soft or quiet manner
used as a direction in music

piano

2 of 2 noun
pi·​ano pē-ˈan-ō How to pronounce piano (audio)
plural pianos
: a musical instrument consisting of a large frame holding steel wire strings that sound when struck by felt-covered hammers which are operated from a keyboard
pianist
pē-ˈan-əst
ˈpē-ə-nəst
noun
Etymology

Noun

from Italian piano "a keyboard musical instrument," a shortened form of pianoforte, from piano "soft" and forte "loud"; so called because, unlike earlier keyboard instruments, it could be played with varying degrees of loudness

Biographical Definition

Piano

biographical name

Pi·​a·​no pē-ˈä-(ˌ)nō How to pronounce Piano (audio)
Renzo 1937–     Italian architect

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