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

With his sensitive interpretations, Mr. Costanzo was the standout among the singers, but they all gamely tackled the challenges of their full da capo arias.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 22, 2025

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

“Handel presents directors with a lot of challenges because da capo arias can be seen as repetitious — no plot, all emotion,” Mr. Costanzo said.

From New York Times • Jul. 10, 2017

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

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 18, 2016

The great musical critic Mattheson, in a work written on the word, having rejected eleven meanings, decides in favour of the twelfth, which makes the word equivalent to the modern Italian da capo.

From Notes and Queries, Number 236, May 6, 1854 A Medium of Inter-communication for Literary Men, Artists, Antiquaries, Genealogists, etc by Various