What does "piano" mean?
A percussive keyboard musical instrument, usually ranging over seven octaves, with white and black colored keys, played by pressing these keys, causing hammers to strike strings.
Piano
/piˈænoʊ/ adj, adv, name, noun, verb
adj, adv, name, noun, verb ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A percussive keyboard musical instrument, usually ranging over seven octaves, with white and black colored keys, played by pressing these keys, causing hammers to strike strings.
- Grammar: piano is listed as adj, adv, name, noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: a cappella, a la sourdine, abbandono, accrescendo.
- Useful contrasts: forte, clavichords, harpsichord.
- Usage evidence: My next door neighbor is a virtuoso whose skills with the piano have earned him a name among music experts.
How to use "piano"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "piano" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "piano" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "piano" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "piano" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "piano" is acting as adj, adv, name, noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "a cappella" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "piano", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A percussive keyboard musical instrument, usually ranging over seven octaves, with white and black colored keys, played by pressing these keys, causing hammers to strike strings.
"The piano in his house takes up a lot of space."
- 2 a keyboard instrument that is played by depressing keys that cause hammers to strike tuned strings and produce sounds wordnet
- 3 (music) low loudness wordnet
Verb
- 1 To play the piano.
"Anyhow I pianoed to my own ear, and had no thought at that time for an audience."
- 2 To become softer and less intense.
"“You know, Mrs. Wrigglechops,” pianoed Miss Drucilla , even more meekly and mildly than before, "the ace is either one or eleven.""
- 3 To move (the fingers) up and down on, similar to the motions of a pianist playing the piano.
"He just stared at her, leaned back in his chair and pianoed his fingers along the tablecloth."
- 4 To equip with a piano.
"Other buildings will also be erected and pianoed by the same architect."
Adjective
- 1 Soft, quiet.
- 2 Gentle, soft, subdued.
"“Oh! yes, yes, there is not a word to be said against James Benwick[…]that soft sort of manner does not do him justice.”[…] “Well, well, ladies are the best judges; but James Benwick is rather too piano for me[…]”"
Adjective
- 1 (used chiefly as a direction or description in music) soft; in a quiet, subdued tone wordnet
Adverb
- 1 Softly, as a dynamic in a piece of music.
"(abbreviation) p"
Adverb
- 1 used as a direction in music; to be played relatively softly wordnet
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname from Italian.
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"My next door neighbor is a virtuoso whose skills with the piano have earned him a name among music experts."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "piano"?
Common synonyms include: a cappella, a la sourdine, abbandono, accrescendo, adagietto, adagio.
How do you use "piano" in a sentence?
My next door neighbor is a virtuoso whose skills with the piano have earned him a name among music experts.
How do you pronounce "piano"?
Pronounced /piˈænoʊ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Clipping of pianoforte, from Italian pianoforte, from piano (“soft”) + forte (“strong”). So named because it could produce a wide range of varied volumes note-by-note, in contrast to older keyboard instruments, notably the harpsichord. Doublet of llano, plain, and plane.
Etymology 2
From Italian piano.
Etymology 3
Borrowed from Italian Piano.