tenuto

[tuh-noo-toh, te-noo-taw]

adjective

1. Music.,  (of a note, chord, or rest) held to the full time value.

tenuto

/ tɪˈnjuːtəʊ /

adjective

1. music (of a note) to be held for or beyond its full time value

Word History and Origins

Origin of tenuto¹

1890–95; < Italian: held (past participle of tenere ) < Vulgar Latin *tenūtus, for Latin tentus

Word History and Origins

Origin of tenuto¹

from Italian, literally: held, from tenere to hold, from Latin tenēre

Example Sentences

But Stasevska’s heavily opinionated interpretation was unusual from the start; the slurred tenuto phrases of the strings, rather than gentle waves approaching a shore, were a ride along a bumpy road.

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