piano

¹

[pee-an-oh, pyan-oh]

noun

plural

pianos 

1. a musical instrument in which felt-covered hammers, operated from a keyboard, strike the metal strings.

piano

²

[pee-ah-noh, pyah-naw]

adjective

1. soft; subdued.

adverb

1. softly. p, p.

piano

¹

/ pɪˈænəʊ /

noun

1. a musical stringed instrument resembling a harp set in a vertical or horizontal frame, played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike the strings and produce audible vibrations See also grand piano upright piano

piano

²

/ ˈpjɑːnəʊ /

adjective

1. p. music (to be performed) softly

Piano

³

/ pjˈɑno /

noun

1. Renzo. born 1937, Italian architect; buildings include the Pompidou Centre, Paris (1977; with Richard Rogers), the Potsdamer Platz redevelopment, Berlin (1998), and The Shard, London (2012)

piano

1. A musical direction meaning “to be performed softly”; the opposite of forte. As the name of a musical instrument, it is short for pianoforte.

Word History and Origins

Origin of piano¹

First recorded in 1795–1805; short for pianoforte

Origin of piano²

1675–85; < Italian: soft, low (of sounds), plain, flat < Latin plānus plain ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of piano¹

C19: short for _pianoforte

Origin of piano²

C17: from Italian, from Latin plānus flat; see _plain ¹

Example Sentences

Ron has a piano at home but doesn't really play it now because of his dementia, but after being given the chance to play the famous Wurlitzer organ after their dance he couldn't resist.

Read more on BBC

Some American Airlines flights even featured a live piano lounge, and professional chefs aboard Pan American World Airways served lobster and caviar on fine china.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

On “Shine,” it’s just Mr. Jesso and his piano for all tracks save for one passage we’ll get to in a moment, and we hear his spare style in sharp relief.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

The piano and bass give a nod to the Chantays’ “Pipeline.”

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Rams defensive end Kobie Turner, a 294-pound man strong enough to carry a piano on his back, can also tap out a tune.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• grand piano 
• instrument 
• keyboard