presa

[ prey-suh; Italian pre-zah ]

/ ˈpreɪ sə; Italian ˈprɛ zɑ /

Save This Word!

noun, plural pre·se

[prey-sey; Italian pre-ze]. /ˈpreɪ seɪ; Italian ˈprɛ zɛ/.

a mark, as :S:, +, or §, used in a canon, round, etc., to indicate where the successive voice parts are to take up the theme.

QUIZ

WILL YOU SAIL OR STUMBLE ON THESE GRAMMAR QUESTIONS?

Smoothly step over to these common grammar mistakes that trip many people up. Good luck!

Question 1 of 7

Fill in the blank: I can’t figure out _____ gave me this gift.

who

whom

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of presa

1715–25; <Italian: literally, a taking up, feminine of preso, past participle of prendere to take <Latin prehendere to seize; see prehension

Words nearby presa

prerequisite, prerogative, prerogative court, pre-Roman, Pres, presa, presage, presale, presanctified, Presb., presbycusia

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use presa in a sentence

Presa, Jugendstil, and schwannoma were the words that knocked a young phenom out of the last three National Spelling Bees.
Queens Phenom Goes for Redemption at National Spelling Bee Finals|Michael Daly|March 22, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Examine it well lest there should be any defect in it— Presa-lah baik-baik takut ada chachat-nia apa-apa.
A Manual of the Malay language|William Edward Maxwell
Intanto sento dalla vostra Gazetta che sia nata una cabala, un partito, e senza ch' io vi abbia presa la minima parte.
Life of Lord Byron, With His Letters And Journals, Vol. 5 (of 6)|(Lord Byron) George Gordon Byron
Jams habia tenido dia de caza mas gustoso, ni logrado presa que le hubiese dado tanto contento.
History of The Reign of Philip The Second King of Spain|William H. Prescott

Son impacientes, y piden su presa a gritos y con la convulsin de una espantosa sed moral.
Doa Perfecta|Benito Prez Galds

British Dictionary definitions for presa

presa

/ (ˈprɛsɑː) /

noun plural -se (-seɪ)

music a sign or symbol used in a canon, round, etc, to indicate the entry of each partUsual signs: +, :S:, ※

Word Origin for presa

Italian, literally: a taking up, from prendere to take, from Latin prehendere to grasp

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012