Legato
adverb /lɪˈɡɑː.toʊ/ — Played smoothly, with notes flowing into one another.
Definition
A musical direction indicating that notes should be played smoothly and connected, flowing from one to the next without any perceptible gap — the opposite of staccato. Represents the longest, most connected form of musical articulation.
Beyond the definition
Legato is the sound of held breath, of conversation without interruption, of water moving without breaking. It suggests continuity — that things belong together, that the world flows.
Origin & history
From Italian legato, literally 'bound,' the past participle of legare ('to bind'), from Latin ligare ('to tie'). The Online Etymology Dictionary records the English musical adverb in 1811.
Example sentences
Illustrative sentences for learning, not verified community posts or sourced quotations.
The cellist played the melody with deep legato phrasing — each note leaning into the next like words in a whispered sentence.
Legato playing on the flute requires careful breath management across register breaks.
She taught her students that legato wasn't just about smooth notes — it was about a continuous thought, a musical sentence with no full stops.
How to use it
In music, legato describes smooth, connected notes. Use “play legato” or “legato phrasing,” without adding -ly. It describes articulation, not how fast or loudly to play.
Illustrative example: “The pianist played the melody legato, connecting each note smoothly to the next.”
Synonyms
smooth, connected, flowing, sustained
Antonyms
staccato, detached, clipped
Related words
Legato vs flowing
Flowing describes any movement without interruption. Legato is a technical musical term specifically instructing that notes be played in a connected, smooth, and seamless fashion.
Word in the Wild
See how this word appears in life, language and stories.
Illustrative sentences and imagined stories for learning — not verified sightings, interviews, or sourced quotations.
Fictional scene
Colors Blending Into Smooth Nuances
Thick pigments on a palette are blended into one another by a brush, showing smooth, flowing transitions between different shades of color.
Legato is a direction for smooth, connected playing without breaks. The seamless bleeding of one color into another on the palette represents this flowing transition, highlighting the absence of disjointed breaks.
Image credit: Wordspun · AI-generated conceptual illustration
Questions about this word
What does "Legato" mean?
Legato is adverb meaning: Played smoothly, with notes flowing into one another.. A musical direction indicating that notes should be played smoothly and connected, flowing from one to the next without any perceptible gap — the opposite of staccato. Represents the longest, most connected form of musical articulation.
Where does the word "Legato" come from?
From Italian legato, literally 'bound,' the past participle of legare ('to bind'), from Latin ligare ('to tie'). The Online Etymology Dictionary records the English musical adverb in 1811.