fortissimo

[ fawr-tis-uh-moh; Italian fawr-tees-see-maw ]

adjective

1. (a direction) very loud.

adverb

1. (a direction) very loudly.

fortissimo

/ fɔːˈtɪsɪˌməʊ /

adjective

1. very loud ff

noun

1. a very loud passage in music

fortissimo

1. A musical direction meaning “to be performed very loudly”; the opposite of pianissimo .

Word History and Origins

Origin of fortissimo¹

1715–25; < Italian; superlative of forte forte ²

Word History and Origins

Origin of fortissimo¹

C18: from Italian, from Latin fortissimus , from fortis strong

Example Sentences

Gutmann said that Chopin played generally very quietly, and rarely, indeed hardly ever, fortissimo.

From Project Gutenberg

I declare to you, solemnly, Katherine, that the effect of your violets against that hair was absolutely fortissimo.

From Project Gutenberg

Fourthly, Mrs. P. scolds the servants stringendo e fortissimo while I am dressing in the morning.

From Project Gutenberg

On which theme he played for about twenty minutes in a most extraordinary manner, sometimes very fortissimo, but full of genius.

From Project Gutenberg

Then comes the excited, imperative, anxious yet joyous fortissimo scale running when the quarry trees.

From Project Gutenberg