prestissimo

[ pre-stis-uh-moh; Italian pre-stees-see-maw ]

/ prɛˈstɪs əˌmoʊ; Italian prɛˈstis siˌmɔ /

adverb

(a musical direction) in the most rapid tempo.

Words nearby prestissimo

presternum, prestidigitation, prestige, prestige pricing, prestigious, prestissimo, presto, presto chango, preston, prestonpans, prestore

Origin of prestissimo

1715–25; < Italian: most quickly, superlative of presto presto

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for prestissimo

Sebastiano quickened the time till he was playing it prestissimo.
The Call of the Blood|Robert Smythe Hichens
When one dies them, four or five times a week, he longs to hasten the course of events, to change the Andante to a Prestissimo.
The Dominant Strain|Anna Chapin Ray
All this leads to a prestissimo finale of startling splendour.
Franz Liszt|James Huneker
Here the baby was kissed crescendo, prestissimo, till he laughed more than ever.
The Judgment of Eve|May Sinclair

Presto, prestissimo, vivacissimo, and prestissimo possibile—the most rapid tempo possible.
Music Notation and Terminology|Karl W. Gehrkens

British Dictionary definitions for prestissimo

prestissimo

/ (prɛˈstɪsɪˌməʊ) music /

adjective, adverb

to be played as fast as possible

noun plural -mos

a piece or passage directed to be played in this way

Word Origin for prestissimo

C18: from Italian: very quickly, from presto fast

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