étude

American  

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

noun

plural

études

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; 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.

From The Wall Street Journal

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.

From 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.

From New York Times

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.

From New York Times

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