staccato

plural staccatos · plural staccati

1. entertainmentAn articulation marking directing that a note or passage of notes are to be played in an abruptly disconnected manner, with each note sounding for a very short duration, and a short break lasting until the sounding of the next note; as opposed to legato. Staccato is indicated by a dot directly above or below the notehead.
2. entertainmentA passage having this mark.
3. figurativelyAny sound resembling a musical staccato.

   According to the syllable-timed hypothesis, Spanish syllables as staccato.

   1 more example

   The tumultuous noise resolved itself now into the disorderly mingling of many voices, the gride of many wheels, the creaking of waggons, and the staccato of hoofs.

   1898, H.G. Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, page 160

comparative more staccato · superlative most staccato

1. entertainmentplayed in this style

   Now, play the same passage very staccato.

comparative more staccato · superlative most staccato

1. entertainmentDescribing a passage having this mark.
2. Made up of abruptly disconnected parts or sounds.

   The same nervous staccato laugh broke from her thin lips, and her fingers began to play with a long tortoise-shell paper-knife.

   1891, Oscar Wilde, The Picture of Dorian Gray

   2 more examples

   A kind of tense peace, like the centre of a cyclone, descended. Not for long, of course, for already stealing upon one's hearing would be the staccato bark and thrust of the banker bringing up the rear.

   1953 December, Henry Maxwell, “The Folkestone Harbour Branch: Some Evocations”, in Railway Magazine, page 809

   The water-level route, the whistle and the loud staccato exhaust of this great engine recalled most vividly memories of the New York Central Hudsons highballing along the Hudson River between Harmon and Albany!

   1960 October, P. Ransome-Wallis, “Modern motive power of the German Federal Railway: Part Two”, in Trains Illustrated, page 613