Meaning & use
Pizzicato
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In music, played by plucking the strings of an instrument with the fingers rather than using a bow.
See it in a sentence
The violinist switched to pizzicato for the playful second movement.
The cellist plucked a few pizzicato notes to test the tuning.
A note on using this word
Borrowed directly from Italian, where it means "pinched" or "plucked," pizzicato is marked in sheet music to instruct string players when to abandon the bow.
Words with an opposite meaning
Another way to use it
2. noun
A note or passage played by plucking rather than bowing.
The pizzicato in the third movement gives the piece a light, playful character.
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