andante
Americanadjective
noun
adjective
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of andante
1735–45; < Italian: literally, walking, present participle of andare to walk, go ( see -ant); etymology disputed, but often alleged: < Vulgar Latin *ambitare, derivative of Latin ambitus circular motion, roundabout journey ( see ambit); perhaps, alternatively, early Latin borrowing < Gaulish *andā-, akin to Latin pandere to spread (hence, stride); compare passus step, pace (action noun *pand-tu- ), equivalent to Old Irish ēs footprint, track
Explanation
Use the word andante to describe a relatively slow, moderately paced tune. Your piano teacher might tell you to play a piece andante. The word andante, particularly common in classical music, is sometimes described as "at a walking pace." An andante movement in a symphony is faster than adagio but slower than allegro. Like so many musical words describing tempo, andante is Italian, a form of the verb andare, "to go." The Latin root, ambire, means "to go around" or "to go about."
Vocabulary lists containing andante
Music - High School
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Opera Vocabulary
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
This led to Florence Price’s wistfully lyrical Andante cantabile movement from her 1935 String Quartet No. 2, which came across with glowing richness in this version for string ensemble.
From New York Times • Oct. 17, 2021
Her encore, the Andante from Bach’s BWV 1003 solo Sonata, was a limpid, somber foil.
From Washington Post • Feb. 28, 2020
But Sam Sugarman, 30, a regular at Andante, said he was disturbed by Perez’s behavior on the video.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 15, 2019
The Andante movement from Mozart's Sonata No. 16, K. 545, delectably played, ended the evening pretty much where it began — reflectively.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 26, 2018
The Andante Sostenuto and Quasi Adagio form the simpler middle complex.
From Franz Liszt by Huneker, James
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
