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

  • tanto [Italian] Much.
  • double trill A simultaneous trill on two notes, usually in the distance of a third.
  • ridicolo [Italian] Absurd, ludicrous, ridiculous.
  • modo [Italian] Way, manner.
  • radical bass An bass line produced by linking the fundamentals of the chords in a progression.
  • transverse flute The regular orchestral flute, as distinct from the recorder.
  • breath mark Indication of where to breathe in vocal and wind instrument parts. It may look like a large comma or apostrophe or like a tick/checkmark (✓), and is always written above the staff.
  • squillante [Italian] Ringing.
  • ostinato [Italian] Literally, “obstinate”. A short melodic, rhythmic, or harmonic pattern that is repeated throughout a composition.
  • whole tone An interval of two semitones, a major second.
  • répertoire [French] A list of compositions that an individual or ensemble is prepared to perform or that are available for performance.
  • slur A curved line drawn over or under a series of notes, indicating that those notes should be played legato.
  • rastrum [Latin] A pen that has five points (nibs), for use in notating staff lines.
  • da capo [Italian] Literally, “from the beginning”. A directive to go back to the beginning of the composition.
  • cut off An arm and hand motion by a conductor that indicates to an ensemble that they stop performing. This is normally done at the end of a composition, at the end of a movement or section, or on a fermata.