intermezzo

American  

[in-ter-met-soh, -med-zoh] / ˌɪn tərˈmɛt soʊ, -ˈmɛd zoʊ /

noun

PLURAL

intermezzos, intermezzi

1. a short dramatic, musical, or other entertainment of light character, introduced between the acts of a drama or opera.

2. a short musical composition between main divisions of an extended musical work.

3. a short, independent musical composition.

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intermezzo British  

/ ˌɪntəˈmɛtsəʊ /

noun

1. a short piece of instrumental music composed for performance between the acts or scenes of an opera, drama, etc

2. an instrumental piece either inserted between two longer movements in an extended composition or intended for independent performance

3. another name for interlude

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Etymology

Origin of intermezzo

1805–15; < Italian < Late Latin intermedium; intermediary

Example Sentences

Then swirling clouds are projected onto the scrim — a tacky recurring “visual intermezzo,” as it is called in the credits — and a maid enters.

From New York Times

And they fear that it can happen again — that America has changed, and that Mr. Biden is “an intermezzo” between more populist, nationalist presidents, said Thomas Kleine-Brockhoff, vice president of the German Marshall Fund.

From New York Times

During one stretch, she found common ground between two of Brahms’s searching intermezzos and a few of Chopin’s mercurial, lilting mazurkas.

From New York Times

The program that Paul Lewis presented on Thursday at the 92nd Street Y may seem unadventurous at first: a Haydn sonata, three late Brahms intermezzos and Beethoven’s “Diabelli” Variations.

From New York Times

They look tempting, but with a la carte prices for appetizers, intermezzos and mains all well into the double digits, I’d rather put my money toward something this kitchen created.

From Seattle Times