a tempo

American

[ah-tem-poh, ah-tem-paw] / ɑˈtɛm poʊ, ɑˈtɛm pɔ /

adverb

Music.

resuming the speed obtained preceding ritardando or accelerando.

a tempo British

/ ɑː ˈtɛmpəʊ /

adjective

to the original tempo

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

a passage thus marked

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of a tempo

1730–40; < Italian: in (the regular) time

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.

See Examples For:

a tempo

Most of the tracks fell within a tempo range of about 120-140 beats per minute.

From Science Daily ● May 9, 2026

When a tempo takes off, there’s no sense that the players are flustered or swept away in it.

From New York Times ● Jan. 22, 2024

At 6-foot-3 and with a long stride, Benjamin is capable of a tempo that includes a 13-step approach over the first few hurdles before going into 12-step mode.

From Washington Times ● Aug. 20, 2023

But ultimately it was a tempo they were unable to maintain as Manchester City took advantage of a late wobble to steam past them on the home straight.

From BBC ● May 24, 2023

There was a tempo to how stories got told.

From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023