Meanings
nounacciaccatura (plural acciaccaturas or acciaccature)
plural acciaccaturas · plural acciaccature · alternative misspelling acciacatura
- entertainmentA short grace note (theoretically taking no time at all), occurring on the beat occupied by the main note to which it is prefixed, one scale-step higher or lower than that main note. (Sometimes equivalent, therefore, to a short appoggiatura, but in Baroque music interpreted differently and more strictly.) Written as a note lighter in appearance, typically a quaver (eighth note), with an oblique stroke through the stem.
Synonyms & antonyms
nounan embellishing note usually written in smaller size
Similar
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Italianacciaccatura
- Englishacciaccatura
Borrowed from Italian acciaccatura, from the verb acciaccare (“to crush”).
More words from Italian
Full word history & related roots →Translations
French acciaccatura
- acciaccaturashort grace note occurring on the beat occupied by the main note
Italian acciaccatura
- acciaccaturashort grace note occurring on the beat occupied by the main note
Portuguese acciaccatura
- acciaccaturashort grace note occurring on the beat occupied by the main note
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with acciaccatura
bureauduraJurasurahsuramuradaturatempurapleurabravurakatsuraangosturacoloraturatessituracaesuraappoggiaturadurrafiorituraguipurepanduratamburatanpurawitzchoura
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
acciaccatura. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acciaccatura
MLA
“acciaccatura.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acciaccatura. Accessed November 3, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “acciaccatura,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/acciaccatura.
Source: acciaccatura on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.