Meaning & use

glissando

noun·Academic

Last updated

A continuous sliding movement from one pitch to another, especially on a piano, harp, or trombone.

See it in a sentence

The harpist finished the piece with a dramatic glissando across the strings.

The trombonist used a glissando to create a comic sliding effect in the jazz number.

A note on using this word

Borrowed from Italian, glissando is technically derived from the French 'glisser,' meaning to slide, and is a staple technique in both classical and jazz music.

Words with a similar meaning

slide

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