Merriam-Webster Logo
SINCE 1828
Menu
×
1

sostenuto

adjective or adverb so·ste·nu·to \ ˌsō-stə-ˈnü-(ˌ)tō , ˌsȯ- \

Definition of sostenuto

: sustained to or beyond the note's full value —used as a direction in music

Origin and Etymology of sostenuto

Italian, from past participle of sostenere to sustain, from Latin sustinēre

2

sostenuto

noun

Definition of sostenuto

plural sostenutos
: a movement or passage whose notes are markedly prolonged

First Known Use of sostenuto

1757

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year
NEW! Time Traveler

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up sostenuto? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show hide

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

WORD OF THE DAY

declivity

play

a downward inclination or slope

Get Word of the Day daily email!

TRENDING NOW

  1. socialism 'a way of organizing a society in which major industries are owned and controlled by the government'

  2. uphold 'to let stand'

  3. due process 'a course of formal proceedings (as judicial proceedings)'

  4. asylum 'protection from arrest and extradition given especially to political refugees'

  5. insubordinate 'disobedient to authority'

SEE ALL

BROWSE DICTIONARY

sostenuto

Test Your Vocabulary

Obscure Shapes

  • a-pile-of-three-dimensional-shapes-in-green
  • Something that is ooid is shaped like:
True or False

Test your knowledge - and maybe learn something along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ
SCRABBLE® Sprint

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games