staccato mark

American

noun

(in music notation) a dot, wedge, or vertical stroke over or under a note to indicate that it should be played staccato.

Etymology

Origin of staccato mark

First recorded in 1900–05

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

A dot over or under a note is called the staccato mark and indicates that the tone is to be sounded and then instantly released.

From Music Notation and Terminology by Gehrkens, Karl Wilson

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023