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DictionarycantabileSonglike musical style
adjective / adverb

cantabile

kan-TAH-bih-lay/kænˈtɑːbɪleɪ/

In a smooth, songlike musical style.

The violinist plays the slow melody in a cantabile style.

A violinist shapes a lyrical phrase alongside a singer modeling it, with a short, continuously slurred musical phrase on their shared score reinforcing smooth, singing delivery.
Etymology
cantItalianto sing
+abileItaliancapable of being

Literally “capable of being sung,” cantabile became a direction to perform music as though it were a song. The emphasis is on a smooth, flowing delivery rather than merely whether the music can be sung.

More examples

  • The score marks the opening phrase cantabile.
  • She shapes the cantabile passage with a smooth bow stroke.
  • The pianist plays cantabile, making the melody seem to sing.

Similar words

legato
Specifies smoothly connected notes rather than necessarily a singing character.
lyrical
Broadly suggests expressive songlike beauty.