adverb
presto
At a very fast tempo in music.
The pianist plays the final section presto without losing clarity.
Etymology
Italian presto means quick or ready. As a musical direction, it asks for a very rapid pace of performance.
More examples
- Play this passage presto, but keep each note distinct.
- The score tells the orchestra to play presto.
- We practice slowly before attempting to play the piece presto.
Forms
presto
Similar words
- allegro
- Indicates a fast tempo, generally slower than presto.
- prestissimo
- Calls for an extremely fast tempo, faster than presto.