ottava

[ oh-tah-vuh; Italian awt-tah-vah ]

adverb

, Music.

1. (of notes in a score) at an octave higher than written (when placed above the staff ) or lower than written (when placed below the staff ). : 8va

ottava

/ əʊˈtɑːvə /

noun

1. See all'ottava
   an interval of an octave See all'ottava

Word History and Origins

Origin of ottava¹

1810–20; < Italian: octave

Word History and Origins

Origin of ottava¹

Italian: octave

Example Sentences

That the ottava rima on the one hand, and the sonnet on the other, may have suggested the idea of it is quite possible.

From Project Gutenberg

The ottava rima of the Italians, the natural outcome of Keats's turning to Italy for his story.

From Project Gutenberg

Boccaccio's favourite stanza in the Teseide, known as the ottava rima, ends with two lines that form an heroic couplet.

From Project Gutenberg

It is in ottava rima, with the translation prefixed to it of the Latin poem Furor Petroniensis.

From Project Gutenberg

The plays are almost uniformly written in ottava rima, and poorly printed in double columns.

From Project Gutenberg