étude

American  

[ey-tood, ey-tyood, ey-tood, ey-tyood, ey-tyd] / ˈeɪ tud, ˈeɪ tyud, eɪˈtud, eɪˈtyud, eɪˈtüd /

noun

études plural

1. a musical composition, usually instrumental, intended mainly for the practice of some point of technique.

2. study.

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étude British  

/ ˈeɪtjuːd, etyd /

noun

1. a short musical composition for a solo instrument, esp one designed as an exercise or exploiting technical virtuosity

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

noun

• études
  plural

Etymology

Origin of étude

From French, dating back to 1830–40; see origin at study

Explanation

An etude is a short, tricky tune that a musician plays mainly for practice or to demonstrate skill. Many etudes are meant to be played on the piano. Well-known composers like Debussy and Chopin wrote piano etudes that continue to be used for teaching beginning musicians. There are also etudes composed for other instruments, like guitar, violin, and cello. In French, the word étude means "study," from the Latin studium, which also means "study," though it first meant "eagerness," from studere, "to be diligent."

Example Sentences

One of her encores was Glass’ Piano Etude No. 6.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2023

Similarly, Hershey's Chocolate teamed up with K-beauty brand Etude House to release its own makeup kit, equipped with two mini chocolate bar-themed eyeshadow palettes, two sweet-themed lip tints and a brush duo.

From Salon • Jan. 14, 2023

I’ve suggested the standard Etude House cream before, but when fall kicks in I transition to their deep rich cream as a cheaper alternative to Tatcha’s cream.

From Slate • Oct. 16, 2018

I still have trouble believing that the deeply felt C-sharp Minor Etude was written by a 14-year-old, but there it is, and Bax treats it as the miniature masterpiece it is.

From Washington Post • Dec. 17, 2015

Directly she finished the Etude she got up from the piano.

From In the Wilderness by Hichens, Robert Smythe