accelerando
|ac-cel-e-ran-do|
🇺🇸
/əkˌsɛləˈrændoʊ/
🇬🇧
/əkˌsɛləˈrændəʊ/
gradual tempo increase
Etymology
'accelerando' originates from Italian, specifically the word 'accelerare,' where 'accelerare' meant 'to hasten or speed up.'
'accelerare' transformed into the musical term 'accelerando' in Italian, and eventually became adopted into English as 'accelerando.'
Initially, it meant 'to hasten or speed up,' and this meaning has largely remained the same in modern musical usage.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a gradual increase in tempo in a piece of music.
The conductor signaled for an accelerando in the final movement.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Adjective 1
gradually increasing in tempo.
The piece has an accelerando section that builds excitement.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Last updated: 2025/04/12 06:36