portamento

[ pawr-tuh-men-toh, pohr-; Italian pawr-tah-men-taw ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

, Music.

, plural por·ta·men·ti [pawr-t, uh, -, men, -tee, pohr-, paw, r, -tah-, men, -tee], por·ta·men·tos.

a passing or gliding from one pitch or tone to another with a smooth progression.

portamento

/ ˌpɔːtəˈmɛntəʊ /

music a smooth slide from one note to another in which intervening notes are not separately discernible Compare glissando

1765–75; < Italian: fingering, literally, a bearing, carrying. See port ⁵, -ment

C18: from Italian: a carrying, from Latin portāre to carry

How does portamento compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

In this early period of instruction the pupil was exercised in both portamento and messa di voce.

You, who know what is meant by singing with portamento, would find rare satisfaction in her singing of it.

Both her portamento di voce and her volubility were declared to be unrivaled.

At one point the boys took a portamento—a grace which very few choirmasters would attempt with boys.

Aria di portamento was also slow, but with stronger rhythm and wider intervals.

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