diminuendo

/dəˈmɪnəˌwɛndoʊ/

Other forms: diminuendos

In music, diminuendo means gradually growing more quiet. When the sheet music calls for a diminuendo, that's definitely not the time to blow your trumpet as hard as you can.

As they play, musicians don't simply follow the notes; musical notation includes a lot of additional information, including how fast to play, whether to be loud or quiet, and when to increase or decrease the volume. Diminuendo, which comes from the Latin root deminuere, or "diminish," instructs a pianist or cellist to quiet their playing, transitioning to a more gentle sound.

Definitions of diminuendo

1. noun

   (music) a gradual decrease in loudness
   synonyms: decrescendo

   type of:

   softness

   a sound property that is free from loudness or stridency
2. adjective

   (music) gradually decreasing in volume
   synonyms: decrescendo

   decreasing

   music