vibrato

C2+ Topic:Music Theory

US /vɪˈbrɑtoʊ/ UK /vɪˈbrɑːtəʊ/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
a slight, rapid wavering of pitch in singing or instrumental playing

Her rich vibrato gave the final note an aching warmth.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a slight, rapid wavering of... tremolo wavering quaver

Word family

Related forms vibrate vibration vibrant

Etymology

From Italian 'vibrato' ('vibrated'), past participle of 'vibrare' ('to vibrate'), from Latin 'vibrare' ('to shake, brandish').

vibrato Italian vibrare Latin

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Music Theory General Vocabulary

External links

# vibrato

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /vɪˈbrɑtoʊ/
**IPA (UK):** /vɪˈbrɑːtəʊ/

## Meanings
1. a slight, rapid wavering of pitch in singing or instrumental playing

## Examples
- Her rich vibrato gave the final note an aching warmth.

## Synonyms
- tremolo
- wavering
- quaver

## Related Forms
- vibrate
- vibration
- vibrant

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: vibrato
- Root: vibrare

## Etymology
From Italian 'vibrato' ('vibrated'), past participle of 'vibrare' ('to vibrate'), from Latin 'vibrare' ('to shake, brandish').

## AI Etymology
Vibrato comes from Italian 'vibrato' ('vibrated'), past participle of 'vibrare' ('to vibrate'), from Latin 'vibrare' ('to shake, brandish'). In current use it is a noun meaning "a slight, rapid wavering of pitch in singing or instrumental playing". That sense is explained by the older material without requiring a speculative semantic step: the inherited or borrowed base supplies the field of meaning, while the English formation fixes its modern role. The history is mainly one of transmission into English, with the older form and sense carried through borrowing or adaptation. The historical chain includes Italian vibrato and Latin vibrare. Related English forms include vibrate, vibration, and vibrant. For dictionary purposes, the important point is the continuity between the older form, the route into English, and the present lexical sense.

## Topics
- Music Theory
- General Vocabulary

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