fermata

[ fer-mah-tuh; Italian fer-mah-tah ]

noun

, Music.

, plural fer·ma·tas, Italian fer·ma·te [fe, r, -, mah, -te].

1. the sustaining of a note, chord, or rest for a duration longer than the indicated time value, with the length of the extension at the performer's discretion.
2. a symbol  placed over a note, chord, or rest indicating a fermata.

fermata

/ fəˈmɑːtə /

noun

1. music another word for pause

Word History and Origins

Origin of fermata¹

1875–80; < Italian: stop, pause, noun use of feminine of past participle of fermare to stop < Latin firmāre to make firm. See firm ¹, -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of fermata¹

from Italian, from fermare to stop, from Latin firmāre to establish; see firm ¹

Example Sentences

He bounced around between bands for a while before joining a band named Fermata as a bassist.

From The Daily Beast

Dr. Deiters thought that Ries confounded the last with the first movement, in which the clarinet enters after a fermata.

From Project Gutenberg

A fermata in the middle of a movement does not constitute a break, neither need it at the end.

From Project Gutenberg

In the case of a hold (fermata), the movement for the cut-off depends upon the nature of what follows.

From Project Gutenberg