da capo

American  

[dah kah-poh, dah kah-paw] / dɑ ˈkɑ poʊ, dɑ ˈkɑ pɔ /

adjective

1. repeated from the beginning (used as a musical direction).

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noun

1. a section of music that is to be repeated from the beginning.

da capo British  

/ dɑː ˈkɑːpəʊ /

adjective

1. music to be repeated (in whole or part) from the beginning

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Etymology

Origin of da capo

1715–25; < Italian: literally, from the head; see da, chief

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

da capo

Staging da capo arias is always a challenge, and Ms. Griffin often fell into the trap of extremes—Mr. Brownlee and Mr. Costanzo tossed chairs around, leaped acrobatically onto furniture and ripped things up—or stasis.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 14, 2026

The da capo is ecstatic, with ornaments on top of ornaments.

From New York Times ● Dec. 23, 2020

He conducted himself, from the harpsichord, a five-piece instrumental ensemble, and he kept many of the da capo arias complete, with an eye to musical rather than dramatic integrity.

From Washington Post ● Jun. 3, 2019

The middle sections of the three-part da capo arias were taken by a second singer.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 18, 2016

Da capo, e da capo, Mary—only at night shouldst thou cease from thy sweet pipings, that I might smoke myself to sleep, and dream that all is once more as it used to be.

From The Martian by George Du Maurier

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