ostinato
/ˌɒstɪˈnɑːtəʊ
/noun (plural ostinatos or ostinati /ˌɒstɪˈnɑːti/)
A continually repeated musical phrase or rhythm: [as modifier]: the cellos have the tune, above an ostinato bass figure...
- He exploits rock idioms, such as rapidly repeated chords, ostinato bass lines and syncopated rhythms, but with little variation of content.
- It is to be found in the basso ostinato, a repeated bass line over which a keyboard player or lutenist improvises chords and a singer or player evolves a melody.
- The jazzy, flowing first movement made way for a stunning allegro: pizzicato ostinati, Spanish dance rhythms, dramatic passion to the fore.
Origin
Italian, literally 'obstinate'.
Rhymes
- centi-
- centigrade
- centigrade scale
- centigram
- centile
- centiliter
- centilitre
- centime
- centimeter
- centimetre
- centimetre-gram-second system
- centimo
- centimorgan
- centipede
- cento
- centra
- central
- Central African Republic
- central air
- Central America
- Central American
- central bank
- central business district
- central casting
- central city