moderato
|mo-de-ra-to|
🇺🇸
/ˌmoʊdəˈrɑːtoʊ/
🇬🇧
/ˌmɒdəˈrɑːtəʊ/
moderate tempo
Etymology
'moderato' originates from Italian, specifically the word 'moderato', where the root 'moder-' (from Latin) meant 'measured' or 'restrained' and 'moderare' meant 'to moderate or control'.
'moderato' changed from the Latin word 'moderatus' (past participle of 'moderare') into Italian 'moderato', and was later adopted into English as a musical tempo marking 'moderato'.
Initially it meant 'moderated' or 'restrained' (the sense of being measured); over time it evolved into its specialized modern musical meaning 'in moderate time' or 'at a moderate tempo'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a tempo marking (noun) indicating that a passage or piece should be performed at a moderate speed.
The score begins with the moderato, setting the overall tempo for the piece.
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Adverb 1
a musical direction meaning 'in a moderate tempo' or 'moderately' (indicates the piece should be played at a moderate speed).
The second movement is marked moderato, so play it at a moderate pace.
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Last updated: 2025/08/25 01:01