tempo
Americannoun
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Music. relative rapidity or rate of movement, usually indicated by such terms as adagio, allegro, etc., or by reference to the metronome.
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characteristic rate, rhythm, or pattern of work or activity.
the tempo of city life.
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Chess. the gaining or losing of time and effectiveness relative to one's continued mobility or developing position, especially with respect to the number of moves required to gain an objective.
Black gained a tempo.
noun
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the speed at which a piece or passage of music is meant to be played, usually indicated by a musical direction ( tempo marking ) or metronome marking
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rate or pace
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of tempo
1680–90; < Italian < Latin tempus time
Explanation
If no one is dancing at your party, you probably want to put on some music with a faster tempo — meaning a faster speed. The word tempo came into English by way of Italian, tracing all the way back to the Latin word tempus, meaning time. It was originally used to describe the timing of music, or the speed at which a piece of music is played. For example, a soothing song would be described as a slow tempo song. Tempo is still used in this way to describe music, but you’ll also hear it used to refer to pace or speed in general, as in — "the increased tempo at the end of a close basketball game" or "the slow tempo of action in a novel."
Vocabulary lists containing tempo
It's About Time: Chron and Temp
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Music - Introductory
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Music - Middle School
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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.
He wants to see free-flowing games at a higher tempo.
From BBC • Jun. 22, 2026
U.S. commanders say they are selecting targets at more than 10-fold the tempo in Iraq.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026
Ultimately, if England are able to control the tempo of the game, dominating the ball for large parts, they will be hoping that the time they spend close to their own goal will be lessened.
From BBC • Jun. 18, 2026
This guided Romer to build a song around the heightened tempo and emotions of the scene, including the use of an operatic choir.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 2026
The vacant, lost look in his eyes increased the tempo of her heart.
From "Throne of Glass" by Sarah J. Maas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
