Multilingual Music Glossary

# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Hint: Don't worry about accents over letters, just skip them.

Found a word you don't know? No problem. Look it up in the Music Glossary!

We are currently providing explanations for 2484 terms from 12 languages, including English, Italian, French, German, Spanish, Dutch, Swedish, Finnish, Latin…

You may browse the glossary alphabetically, or directly search for a term by using the search box above.

If you are looking for a symbol, check out our Guide to Musical Symbols.

Please note: a music glossary is just like a dictionary. It contains explanations to musical terms. If you are looking for a piece, please go here instead: search tunes.

Some random terms

  • inquieto [Italian] Restless, uneasy, agitated.
  • stretto [Italian] A directive to quicken the tempo.
  • tacet [Latin] Literally, “he is silent”. An indication that a performer is to be silent for some time.
  • volume Degree of loudness or softness of a sound.
  • tenuto [Italian] A directive to perform a certain note or chord of a composition in a sustained manner for longer than its full duration.
  • staccatissimo [Italian] A style of playing notes in a detached, separated, distinct manner that shortens the notated duration of the note in a more exaggerated way than normal staccato.
  • diminuendo [Italian] A directive to smoothly decrease the volume.
  • program symphony A multi-movement composition with extra-musical content that directs the attention of the listener to a literary or pictorial association.
  • triple meter A metrical pattern having three beats to a measure.
  • pivot [French] A chord that is placed in a transition between two keys, serving a different function in each key and providing smooth movement between them.
  • ninth An interval of five diatonic degrees, counting the first and last degree.
  • through-composed Song form that is composed from beginning to end without repetitions of any major sections, each verse having its own, unique melody.
  • divertissment [French] A light, entertaining dance and music combination related to the divertimento.
  • vaudeville [French] A variety show with unrelated acts consisting of stand-up comedy, virtuoso instrumental and vocal performance, and song and dance acts.
  • larghetto [Italian] A tempo not quite as slow as largo, usually around 60–66 BPM.