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DictionarylegatoSmoothly connected music
adjective / adverb / noun

legato

lih-GAH-toh/lɪˈɡɑt̮oʊ/

Musical performance with notes smoothly connected.

The pianist plays legato while the singer carries a smoothly connected phrase.

At a piano, a musician moves smoothly from key to key without lifting the hand sharply while a singer beside the instrument carries one flowing phrase without breaks.
Etymology
legatoItalianto bind, tie

The image is of notes being bound together: instead of sounding separately, they form a smooth, connected musical line.

In context

TEDx Talks speaker0:53
And ahead of me I hear the long legato tones of an alphorn
The value of travel | Rick Steves | TEDxRainier
YaleCourses speaker12:57
So, legato: smooth, connected.
Lecture 18. Piano Music of Mozart and Beethoven

More examples

  • The melody calls for a gentle, legato touch.
  • Her beautiful legato makes the piano seem to sing.
  • Sing this phrase legato, without breaks between the notes.

Forms

legato · legatos

Similar words

smooth
Describes overall evenness, not specifically the connection between notes.
connected
Describes notes joined together without specifying a musical performance style.