étude

[ey-tood, ey-tyood, ey-tood, ey-tyood, ey-tyd]

noun

plural

études 

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

2. study.

étude

/ ˈeɪtjuːd, etyd /

noun

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of étude¹

From French, dating back to 1830–40; study

Word History and Origins

Origin of étude¹

C19: from French: _study

Example Sentences

Occasionally scored to the roiling, impressionistic piano piece by Ravel that gives the film its title, the movie is perhaps best compared to an etude, modest at less than 90 minutes but shimmery and suggestive all the same.

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A lovingly produced large box, with sheet music of each etude and a book of eclectic essays about the etudes, came out late last year.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

So he returned to the stage and started the gentle undulations of the A-flat major étude he had played some 40 minutes earlier — now with even more flowing naturalness.

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Or to watch the loving attention Namekawa gives to the technical challenge that each étude addresses, and to every little shift in Glass’s repetitions.

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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.

Read more on BBC