sempre

American  

[sem-pray, sem-pre] / ˈsɛm preɪ, ˈsɛm prɛ /

adverb

1. throughout.

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sempre British  

/ ˈsɛmprɪ /

adverb

1. music (preceding a tempo or dynamic marking) always; consistently. It is used to indicate that a specified volume, tempo, etc, is to be sustained throughout a piece or passage

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Etymology

Origin of sempre

1885–90; < Italian: always < Latin semper

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sempre

One person in the procession held up a sign with Silva's photograph, which read: "Para sempre um de nós."

From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2025

Does Adès also nod to “E sempre lava!” from Puccini’s “Tosca”? Maybe Tchaikovsky and the Dies Irae, too?

From New York Times ● Apr. 29, 2022

I looked in Christoph's cello part to see if he had a more complete instruction at that point, but it said the same thing: "sempre" appeared as a stand-alone word.

From The Guardian ● Mar. 20, 2010

“Always sing the music — sempre cantando,” he exhorted the musicians as that tune first welled up in the prelude.

From New York Times ● Feb. 19, 2010

Beethoven, as is well known, marks the great finale of the last movement with a prolonged forte, which he merely heightens by a sempre piu forte.

From My Life — Volume 2 by Richard Wagner

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