adj, adv, noun ·Moderate ·College level

Definitions

Noun

1. 1
   A manner of playing a stringed instrument such that the bow is bounced off the strings after each note.

   "Most libraries have smooth, buttery legatos and exciting, natural-sounding spiccatos."

2. 2
   bowing in such a way that the bow bounces lightly off the strings wordnet

Adjective

1. 1
   Detached; separated; with every note performed in a distinct and pointed manner.

Adverb

1. 1
   Played in that style.

Synonyms

All synonyms

a cappellaabbandonoaccidentalaccrescendoadagiettoadagio

Example

More examples

"Most libraries have smooth, buttery legatos and exciting, natural-sounding spiccatos."

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian spiccato, past participle of spiccare (“to detach, to separate”).

Related phrases

stringed instrument

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.