all' ottava
[ ahl uh-tah-vuh; Italian ahl-lawt-tah-vah ]
/ ˌɑl əˈtɑ və; Italian ˌɑl lɔtˈtɑ vɑ /
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noun Music.
a direction (8va), placed above or below the staff to indicate that the passage covered is to be played one octave higher or lower respectively.
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Origin of all' ottava
1815–25; <Italian: literally, at the octave
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
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British Dictionary definitions for all' ottava
all'ottava
/ (æləˈtɑːvə) /
adjective, adverb
music to be played an octave higher or lower than writtenSymbol: 8va
Word Origin for all'ottava
Italian: at the octave
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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