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legato - 3 dictionary results

le⋅ga⋅to

[luh-gah-toh; It. le-gah-taw]
–adjective, adverb Music.
smooth and connected; without breaks between the successive tones.
Compare staccato.


Origin:
1805–15; < It, ptp. of legare < L ligāre to bind
le·ga·to   (lĭ-gä'tō)   
adv.   & adj. Abbr. leg.
In a smooth, even style without any noticeable break between the notes. Used chiefly as a direction.
n.   pl. le·ga·tos
A legato passage or movement.

[Italian, past participle of legare, to bind, tie together, from Latin ligāre; see leig- in Indo-European roots.]

Legato

Le*ga"to\ (l[asl]*g[aum]"t[-o]), a. [It., tied, joined, fr. legare to tie, bind, L. ligare.] (Mus.) Connected; tied; -- a term used when successive tones are to be produced in a closely connected, smoothly gliding manner. It is often indicated by a tie, thus ?, ?, or ?, ?, written over or under the notes to be so performed; -- opposed to staccato.
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