decrescendo

[ dee-kri-shen-doh, dey-; Italian de-kre-shen-daw ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

adjective

, plural de·cre·scen·dos, Italian de·cre·scen·di [de-k, r, e-, shen, -dee].

decrescendo

/ ˌdiːkrɪˈʃɛndəʊ /

1800–10; < Italian, gerund of decrescere; decrease

Italian, from decrescere to decrease

When she had to sustain a note for a couple of bars, I was surprised at the beauty of her crescendo and decrescendo.

When she sustains her voice for a couple of bars, I am quite surprised at the beauty of her crescendo and decrescendo.

Decrescendo (or diminuendo) al pianissimo means—decrease gradually in power until the pianissimo (or very soft) point is reached.

He made a decrescendo tinkling, and his lofty features lapsed into their normal mournfulness.

A descending passage, as a return to tranquillity, requires a decrescendo.

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