étude

American  

[ey-tood, ey-tyood, ey-tood, ey-tyood, ey-tyd] / ˈeɪ tud, ˈeɪ tyud, eɪˈtud, eɪˈtyud, eɪˈtüd /

noun

études plural

1. a musical composition, usually instrumental, intended mainly for the practice of some point of technique.

2. study.

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étude British  

/ ˈeɪtjuːd, etyd /

noun

1. a short musical composition for a solo instrument, esp one designed as an exercise or exploiting technical virtuosity

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Etymology

Origin of étude

From French, dating back to 1830–40; see origin at study

Explanation

An etude is a short, tricky tune that a musician plays mainly for practice or to demonstrate skill. Many etudes are meant to be played on the piano. Well-known composers like Debussy and Chopin wrote piano etudes that continue to be used for teaching beginning musicians. There are also etudes composed for other instruments, like guitar, violin, and cello. In French, the word étude means "study," from the Latin studium, which also means "study," though it first meant "eagerness," from studere, "to be diligent."

Example Sentences

They even dared to parody South Korean girl group Blackpink for using a small part of a motif from Paganini's La Campanella étude in their song Shut Down.

From BBC • Aug. 8, 2023

McDermott’s childhood memories are matched by naïvely excited music; the flotation tank, by a soporific étude; the simulated coma, by music so shapeless yet alluring that it could have been written by Satie.

From New York Times • Mar. 31, 2023

Even the third étude, rippling like sun-dappled brook, was undermined by an overly frenetic bass.

From Washington Post • Apr. 14, 2019

So for now, no one should count on hearing a Sondheim piano fantasy or étude or whatever.

From New York Times • Aug. 30, 2016

Rouhet, G. L'entraînement complet et expérimental de l'homme avec étude sur la voix articulée, suivi de recherches physiologiques et pratiques sur le cheval.

From Clever Hans (The horse of Mr. Von Osten): A contribution to experimental animal and human psychology by Pfungst, Oskar