staccato
UK: stəˈkɑːtəʊ | US: stəˈkɑːtoʊ
adj. (of music) played with each note sharply detached or separated from the others
adv. in a staccato manner
n. a staccato passage or effect
staccato = stacc<detached> + ato<Italian past participle suffix>
- stacc (from Italian staccare, meaning "to detach")
- ato (Italian past participle suffix, indicating the result of an action)
Etymology Origin:
The word staccato originates from Italian, derived from staccare ("to detach") + -ato (a suffix forming past participles). It entered English in the 18th century as a musical term to describe notes played in a sharply separated manner, mimicking the literal sense of "detached." The Italian root staccare itself comes from distaccare ("to separate"), influenced by Latin dis- (apart) + taccare (a variant of toccare, "to touch"). The term vividly captures the abrupt, punctuated quality of the musical technique.
The pianist played the passage staccato, giving it a lively, rhythmic bounce.
Her speech was delivered in staccato bursts, emphasizing each word.
The violinist practiced the staccato section repeatedly to perfect the crisp articulation.
The composer marked the notes staccato to create a playful, disjointed effect.
His typing was staccato, with sharp, deliberate keystrokes.