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

Example Sentences

Soprano Hilary Cronin was a dazzling, lyrical Iole, her precisely calibrated da capo arias capturing the princess’s serene acceptance of her lot and her consoling, thoughtful presence—the antithesis of the disturbed Dejanira.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 18, 2026

In the da capo section — on the words “Shout! Shout!” — instead of letting them get louder, I now make it more internal.

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

Meanwhile the barbaric orchestra bangs ever, making noise enough to raise the dead—tom-tom whack, tom-tom wick, tom-tom whoop—e da capo.

From Cuba Past and Present by Davey, Richard