sixteenth note

American  

noun

Music.

1. a note having one sixteenth of the time value of a whole note; semiquaver.

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sixteenth note British  

noun

1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): semiquaver.  music a note having the time value of one-sixteenth of a semibreve

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Etymology

Origin of sixteenth note

First recorded in 1860–65

Example Sentences

Conductor Carlo Montanaro makes the musical values paramount, supporting the singers right down to the last sixteenth note in some of the greatest arias and ensembles in the operatic repertoire.

From Seattle Times • May 7, 2023

Principal hero of the afternoon: German-born Conductor Hermann Scherchen, who led the orchestra through the most involved scores without missing a sixteenth note.

From Time Magazine Archive

It will be seen that the lower eighth note rest in the first example belongs to the same part as the following sixteenth note rest, though by no means on a line with it.

From How to Write Music Musical Orthography by Harris, Clement A.