tremolo

noun

trem·​o·​lo ˈtre-mə-ˌlō 

plural tremolos

1

a

: the rapid reiteration of a musical tone or of alternating tones to produce a tremulous effect

b

: vocal vibrato especially when prominent or excessive

2

: a mechanical device in an organ for causing a tremulous effect

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Like, sorry: tremolo, pizzicato, andante, pianissimo, forte, and more are simply horny words. —Vulture, 1 May 2023

In the final section, tremolos and trills in all four instruments unpredictably shifted into new harmonies. —Christian Hertzog, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2023

Nobody had really thought of it, there’s tremolo, delay, reverb, chorus, all these things they’re already defined. —Josh Chesler, SPIN, 1 Mar. 2023

Head back, his fiendish little body arched toward the lights, Mars holds the guitar straight up in front of his face and works the tremolo to make the sound of the slow-lifting gears of a Harley. —Dean Kuipers, SPIN, 8 Jan. 2023

The eerie call of pint-sized Eastern screech owls sounds much more like a high-pitched warble or tremolo than a screech. —Discover Magazine, 15 Sep. 2014

The guitar specs include 22 jumbo frets, a modern C neck, a five-way switch, three standard pickups and a tremolo system. —Raquelle Harris, Billboard, 21 Sep. 2022

Aslan Freeman, from Lainey’s road band, established a vacillating acoustic guitar current; Rob McNelley contributed George Harrison-like twin slide guitars; and Billy Justineau offered tremolo keyboard over Fred Eltringham’s understated drum part. —Tom Roland, Billboard, 14 June 2022

And the customary piccolo tremolo that used to run above the crowd noise of every comedy club—the excess laughter of the one drunk and slightly hysterical patron—had no purchase or possibility here. —Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, 7 June 2021

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Word History

Etymology

Italian, from tremolo tremulous, from Latin tremulus

First Known Use

circa 1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

tremolo

noun

trem·​o·​lo ˈtrem-ə-ˌlō 

plural tremolos

1

: the rapid repetition of a musical tone or of alternating tones to produce a rapid wavering sound

2

: a mechanical device in an organ for causing a rapid wavering sound