adagio

[uh-dah-joh, -zhee-oh, ah-dah-jaw]

adverb

1. Music.,  in a leisurely manner; slowly.

adjective

1. Music.,  slow.

noun

plural

adagios 

1. Music.,  an adagio movement or piece.

2. Dance.

   1. a sequence of well-controlled, graceful movements performed as a display of skill.

   2. a duet by a man and a woman or mixed trio emphasizing difficult technical feats.

   3. (especially in ballet) a love-duet sequence in a pas de deux.

adagio

/ əˈdɑːdʒɪˌəʊ, aˈdadʒo /

adjective

1. (to be performed) slowly

noun

1. a movement or piece to be performed slowly

2. ballet a slow section of a pas de deux

adagio

1. A very slow musical tempo.

Word History and Origins

Origin of adagio¹

1740–50; < Italian, for ad agio at ease; agio < Old Provençal ais or Old French aise ( ease )

Word History and Origins

Origin of adagio¹

C18: Italian, from ad at + agio ease

Example Sentences

This meditative adagio is the work’s longest movement, and Olafsson stretched its darkling arabesques to more than 10 minutes.

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Whatever happens in this trial, it will happen at a pace that makes an adagio tempo feel like an all-out sprint.

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It takes a few tries, but the adagio comes.

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Zelenskyy then spoke briefly with the families, as a small orchestra played a mournful adagio.

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The mournful molto adagio seemed to stretch time as the ensemble coalesced into rich, golden chords, with Setzer tracing graceful lines around them.

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