altissimo

[ al-tis-uh-moh; Italian ahl-tees-see-maw ]

adjective

very high.

noun

in altissimo, in the second octave above the treble staff.

Origin of altissimo

1810–20; <Italian: literally, highest, equivalent to alt(o) high + -issimo superlative suffix

Words Nearby altissimo

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use altissimo in a sentence

Cristofano dell'altissimo, whose talent lay in portrait painting, may be added to these.
The History of Painting in Italy, Vol. 1 (of 6) | Luigi Antonio Lanzi
The rapidity of his execution, and the mellow sweetness of his altissimo notes, were unequalled.
The Violin | George Dubourg
All the rest of the objects were as usual in plano; this was in alto, indeed in altissimo rilievo.
Library Of The World's Best Literature, Ancient And Modern, Vol 4 | Charles Dudley Warner

British Dictionary definitions for altissimo

altissimo

/ (ælˈtɪsɪˌməʊ) /

adjective

(of music) very high in pitch
of or relating to the octave commencing on the G lying an octave above the treble clef

noun

in altissimo in the octave commencing an octave above the treble clef

Origin of altissimo

Italian, literally: highest

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

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