rondo

noun

ron·​do ˈrän-(ˌ)dō 

rän-ˈdō

plural rondos

1

: an instrumental composition typically with a refrain recurring four times in the tonic and with three couplets in contrasting keys

2

: the musical form of a rondo used especially for a movement in a concerto or sonata

Examples of rondo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Each time assistant coach Pablo de la Torre, the fitness specialist, blew his whistle, the players had to sprint to the far end of the pitch and back again before the rondos resumed. — James Pearce, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2026

It’s structured as a rondo, in which an initial or main melody is repeated in between one or more contrasting segments. — Brian Duignan, Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 Apr. 2026

The Dardennes, typically allergic to the manipulations of music, here remind us that life is as cyclical as a rondo, and just as swift. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2026

Like a rondo, the refrain of family alternates with the contrasting themes, ultimately building to its chilling coda. — Kevin Dickinson, Big Think, 8 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian rondò, from Middle French rondeau

First Known Use

1786, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for rondo

• condo
• mondo
• cuando
• rolando