ritenuto
[ ree-tuh-noo-toh; Italian ree-te-noo-taw ]
/ ˌri təˈnu toʊ; Italian ˌri tɛˈnu tɔ /
Save This Word!
adverb, adjective
(of a passage in a musical score) immediately slower.
QUIZZES
QUIZ YOURSELF ON "WAS" VS. "WERE"!
Were you ready for a quiz on this topic? Well, here it is! See how well you can differentiate between the uses of "was" vs. "were" in this quiz.
Question 1 of 7
“Was” is used for the indicative past tense of “to be,” and “were” is only used for the subjunctive past tense.
Meet Grammar Coach
Improve Your Writing
Origin of ritenuto
1820–30; <Italian: literally, held back, past participle of ritenere;see retain
Words nearby ritenuto
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
British Dictionary definitions for ritenuto
Abbreviation: rit
Word Origin for ritenuto
C19: from Italian, from past participle of ritenere, from Latin retinēre to hold back
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