Definition of pizzicato
pizzicati
play \ˌpit-si-ˈkä-(ˌ)tē\: a note or passage played by plucking strings
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Recent Examples of pizzicato from the Web
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Runs and rapid pizzicato flung out from his Stradivarius with precision and fire.
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The slow, halting melody conveys both his longing and his desolation; a curiously lilting bass line for pizzicato strings seems to mock Ariodante with a hint of Ginevra’s fickleness.
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A passage in which the brass sustain glowing tones over a swarm of pizzicato felt like the sonic double of a sultry summer night.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'pizzicato.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
First Known Use of pizzicato
1790
pizzicato
Definition of pizzicato
: by means of plucking instead of bowing —used as a direction in music — compare arco
Origin and Etymology of pizzicato
Italian, past participle of pizzicare to pluck
PIZZICATO Defined for English Language Learners
pizzicato
Definition of pizzicato for English Language Learners
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—used as a direction in music to indicate that notes should be played by plucking the strings of a violin, viola, cello, etc., with the fingers instead of by using a bow
Learn More about pizzicato
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pizzicato
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