Meanings
plural intermezzos · plural intermezzi
- artA short piece of music or act in the interval of the main spectacle; a theatrical interlude.
Thespis’ single actor served only to create an intermezzo between choral chants.
1924, Herbert Weir Smyth, “I. Introduction”, in Aeschylean Tragedy, page 191 more example
She had ample time, too, to change for the next scene, which started with a longish intermezzo staged by a ballet company whose services Scotty had engaged [...].
1969, Vladimir Nabokov, Ada or Ardor, Penguin, published 2011, page 8 - cookingA palate cleanser; a small snack with a bright light neutral taste; a fruit; a fresh sparkling wine; or a fruity or milky cocktail; that is served between courses in a meal.
Synonyms & antonyms
nouna brief show (music or dance etc.) inserted between the sections of a longer performance
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Italianintermezzo
- Englishintermezzo
Borrowed from Italian intermezzo. Doublet of intermede and intermedium
More words from Italian
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 間奏曲 /间奏曲, 頓挫 /顿挫
- 間奏曲 /间奏曲 (jiānzòuqǔ)piece of music or act
- 頓挫 /顿挫 (dùncuò)tactical move
Finnish välisoitto, välinäytös
- välisoittopiece of music or act
- välinäytöspiece of music or act
- intermezzopiece of music or act
- välijuomapalate cleanser
- välisiirtotactical move
French intermède
- intermèdepiece of music or act
Greek ιντερμέτζο, ιντερμέδιο
- ιντερμέτζο (intermétzo)piece of music or act
- ιντερμέδιο (intermédio)piece of music or act
Indonesian intermeso, intermezo
- intermesopiece of music or act
- intermezopiece of music or act
- selinganpiece of music or act
Irish idirchluiche, idirmhír
- idirchluichepiece of music or act
- idirmhírpiece of music or act
Italian intermezzo
- intermezzopiece of music or act
Japanese インテルメッツォ
- インテルメッツォ (interumettso)piece of music or act
Norwegian Bokmål mellomspill, intermesso
- mellomspillpiece of music or act
- intermessopiece of music or act
Polish interludium, intermedium
- interludiumpiece of music or act
- intermediumpiece of music or act
- intermezzopiece of music or act
- wstawkapiece of music or act
Portuguese intermezzo
- intermezzopiece of music or act
Russian интерме́ццо, интерме́дия
- интерме́ццо (intɛrmɛ́cco)piece of music or act
- интерме́дия (intɛrmédija)piece of music or act
Swedish intermezzo
- intermezzopiece of music or act
Cite this entry
intermezzo. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/intermezzo
“intermezzo.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/intermezzo. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “intermezzo,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/intermezzo.
Source: intermezzo on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.