piano

piano · noun, verb¹

1. Proto-Indo-European*pleth₂-?
2. Proto-Indo-European*pel-?
3. Proto-Indo-European*pleh₂-
4. Proto-Indo-European*pl̥h₂nós
5. Proto-Italic*plānos
6. Latinplānus
7. Italianpiano
8. Proto-Indo-European*bʰerǵʰ-
9. Proto-Indo-European*dʰer-?
10. Proto-Indo-European*dʰerǵʰ-
11. Proto-Italic*forktis
12. Old Latinforctis
13. Latinfortis
14. Italianforte
15. Italianpianoforte
16. Englishpianoforteclip.
17. English todaypiano

Clipping of pianoforte, from Italian pianoforte, from piano (“soft”) + forte (“strong”). So named because it could produce a wide range of varied volumes note-by-note, in contrast to older keyboard instruments, notably the harpsichord. Doublet of llano, plain, plane, and plan.

piano · adverb, adjective, verb²

1. Proto-Indo-European*pleth₂-?
2. Proto-Indo-European*pel-?
3. Proto-Indo-European*pleh₂-
4. Proto-Indo-European*pl̥h₂nós
5. Proto-Italic*plānos
6. Latinplānus
7. Italianpiano
8. English todaypiano

Borrowed from Italian piano.

Piano · proper noun³

1. Italian · borrowed fromPiano
2. Italian · borrowed fromPiano
3. English todayPiano

Borrowed from Italian Piano.

Words from the same roots

First known use, by meaning

• from 1803 A percussive keyboard musical instrument, usually ranging over seven octaves, with white and black colored keys, played by pressing these keys, causing hammers to strike strings.
• from 17th c. Softly, as a dynamic in a piece of music.