tempo

play

noun tem·po \ˈtem-(ˌ)pō\

Definition of tempo

plural

tempi

play \-(ˌ)pē\ or

tempos

1 : the rate of speed of a musical piece or passage indicated by one of a series of directions (such as largo, presto, or allegro) and often by an exact metronome marking
2 : rate of motion or activity : pace

See tempo defined for English-language learners

See tempo defined for kids

Examples of tempo in a Sentence

The song has a slow tempo.
The composition has many changes of tempo.
We walked at a fast tempo.
The tempo of the game slowed down.
The dance starts out fast and then switches tempo.

Recent Examples of tempo from the Web

Orlando Pride players pushed each other during an up tempo Fourth of July training session, challenging each other after a two-day break.

— iliana limón romero, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Orlando Pride energetic, optimistic they are on verge of win streak", 4 July 2017
The tempo of airstrikes was so great Monday that coalition aircraft couldn't keep up with the requests for air support from Iraqi ground forces.

— scott peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, "As fight for Mosul reaches final stage, militants strike back", 3 July 2017
As Showalter has said many times, tempo is everything.

— eduardo a. encina, baltimoresun.com, "At mathematical midpoint of season, Orioles offer glimpse of how they can make wins add up", 2 July 2017
Tillerson is not a politician, and his step-by-step approach to evaluating job candidates may not always fit the expected tempo or political imperatives of Washington, senior aide R.C. Hammond said.

— anne gearan, Washington Post, "White House frustration grows with Tillerson over jobs for Trump allies", 23 June 2017
The Trump administration is stepping up the tempo of arrests and raids.

— david frum, The Atlantic, "Trump Betrays the Voters Who Trusted Him on Immigration", 16 June 2017
Although tempos were steady, there was little rhythmic elasticity.

— marcus overton, sandiegouniontribune.com, "Mainly Mozart Festival Orchestra plays Mozart and Strauss without conductor", 16 June 2017
Figuring out ways to change tempos in the game and certain ways to practice and do things, not only on the field but off the field.

— adam h. beasley, miamiherald, "Here’s how Chip Kelly, a guest at Dolphins camp, influenced Gase’s approach to coaching", 8 June 2017
Stewart gives one of his best performances, easy going at the start, then working up to an action tempo as the plot thickens.

— thr staff, The Hollywood Reporter, "'The Man Who Knew Too Much': THR's 1956 Review", 1 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'tempo'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of tempo

Italian, literally, time, from Latin tempus

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First Known Use: circa 1724

See Words from the same year

Other Music Terms

cacophony, chorister, concerto, counterpoint, madrigal, obbligato, presto, presto, refrain, riff, segue

TEMPO Defined for English Language Learners

tempo

play

noun

Definition of tempo for English Language Learners

: the speed at which a musical piece is played or sung
: the speed at which something moves or happens

TEMPO Defined for Kids

tempo

play

noun tem·po \ˈtem-pō\

Definition of tempo for Students

plural

tempi

\-ˌpē\ or

tempos

: the rate of speed at which a musical composition is played or sung

Word Root of tempo

The Latin word tempus, meaning “time,”and its form temporis give us the roots temp and tempor. Words from the Latin tempus have something to do with time. Something temporary lasts only a short time. Someone or something contemporary lives or occurs at the same time as someone or something else. A tempo is the speed at which music is performed in time.