andante

[ ahn-dahn-tey, an-dan-tee; Italian ahn-dahn-te ]

/ ɑnˈdɑn teɪ, ænˈdæn ti; Italian ɑnˈdɑn tɛ /

Music.

adjective, adverb

moderately slow and even.

noun, plural an·dan·tes.

an andante movement or piece.

Nearby words

Origin of andante

1735–45; < Italian: literally, walking, present participle of andare to walk, go (see -ant); etymology disputed, but often alleged: < Vulgar Latin *ambitare, derivative of Latin ambitus circular motion, roundabout journey (see ambit); perhaps, alternatively, early Latin borrowing < Gaulish *andā-, akin to Latin pandere to spread (hence, stride); compare passus step, pace (action noun *pand-tu-), equivalent to Old Irish ēs footprint, track

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for andante

Then comes an Andante with six variations, and the finale, consisting of a cheerful Rondo.
Life Of Mozart, Vol. 2 (of 3)|Otto Jahn
The andante was also liked, but the last allegro still more so.
The Letters of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Vol. 1|Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
The Andante is our favourite movement; we might compare it to a slumbering lily of the valley.
The Life & Letters of Peter Ilich Tchaikovsky|Modeste Tchaikovsky
Later comes a new rejoinder in livelier mood, till it is lost in a big, moving verse of the Andante song.
Symphonies and Their Meaning; Third Series, Modern Symphonies|Philip H. Goepp

In every symphony of Haydn the adagio or andante is sure to be repeated each time, after the most vehement encores.
Haydn|J. Cuthbert Hadden

British Dictionary definitions for andante

andante

/ (ænˈdænteɪ) music /

adjective, adverb

(to be performed) at a moderately slow tempo

noun

a passage or piece to be performed in this manner

Word Origin for andante

C18: Italian: going, from andare to go, from Latin ambulāre to walk

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

Word Origin and History for andante

andante

musical direction, "moderately slow," 1742, from Italian andante, present participle of andare "to go," from Vulgar Latin ambitare (source of Spanish andar "to go"), from Latin ambitus, past participle of ambire "to go round, go about" (see ambient).