piano

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See also: Piano, pianó, piáno, and píanó

English[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

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.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (US, Canada) IPA(key): /piˈænoʊ/
  • (UK) IPA(key): /piˈænəʊ/
  • (obsolete, nonstandard) IPA(key): /paɪˈænoʊ/[1]
  • Audio (Southern England)(file)

Noun[edit]

piano (plural pianos or (archaic) pianoes)

An upright piano
A grand piano
  1. (music) 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 [from 1803]
    Synonym: (dated) pianoforte
    Coordinate terms: cembalo, clavichord, fortepiano, harpsichord, organ, synthesizer, synth
    The piano in his house takes up a lot of space.
    She has been taking lessons for many years and now plays piano very well.
Derived terms[edit]
Translations[edit]

Verb[edit]

piano (third-person singular simple present pianos, present participle pianoing, simple past and past participle pianoed)

  1. To play the piano.
    • 1967, Harry F. Chaplin, A McCrae Miscellany, page 41:
      Anyhow I pianoed to my own ear, and had no thought at that time for an audience.
    • 1978, Bertha Harris, Confessions of Cherubino, page 96:
      Who comforted me with Madeleines and lime tea, with whipped cream in my cocoa in far off Ann Arbor while others selfishly fiddled, bassooned, pianoed only for their own ugly self-advancement!
    • 2008, John Gruen, Callas Kissed Me...Lenny Too!, page 138:
      John Ashbery, Kenneth Koch, Arnold Weinstein, and others came to the house, taping their poems as I pianoed and zithered and drummed away.
    • 2020, Becky Manawatu, Auē, page 139:
      We guitared and drummed and head banged and pianoed.
  2. (of or with fingers) To move (the fingers) up and down on, similar to the motions of a pianist playing the piano.
    • 2013, Ann Blair Kloman, A Diamond to Die For, page 29:
      He just stared at her, leaned back in his chair and pianoed his fingers along the tablecloth.
    • 2017, Kim Michele Richardson, The Sisters of Glass Ferry:
      “Jean, it ain't right how you separated those two,” he said, and pianoed the little coffin with his fingers, tapping out his grievance.
    • 2020, Simon Lelic, The Search Party:
      The superintendent pianoed his fingers on the surface of a nearby desk.
    • 2021, Emilya Naymark, Hide in Place:
      Holly pianoed her fingers over her throat.
  3. To equip with a piano.
    • 1889, The Engineering Record, Building Record and Sanitary Engineer, page 128:
      Other buildings will also be erected and pianoed by the same architect.
    • 1892, The Japan Daily Mail - Volume 18, page 772:
      A tabernacle has been built, burnt, rebuilt, electric lighted, organed, pianoed, and frequently filled — all during the last two years.

References[edit]

  1. ^ Meredith, L. P. (1872) “Piano”, in Every-Day Errors of Speech‎[1], Philadelphia: J.P. Lippincott & Co., page 35.

Etymology 2[edit]

From Italian piano.

Pronunciation[edit]

Adverb[edit]

Piano notation.

piano (not comparable)

  1. (music) softly, as a musical direction (abbreviated to p. in sheet music) [from 17th c.]
Related terms[edit]
Translations[edit]

Adjective[edit]

piano (comparative more piano, superlative most piano)

  1. (music) Soft, quiet.
  2. (in extended use) Gentle, soft, subdued.
    • 1817 (date written), [Jane Austen], chapter XVIII, in Persuasion; published in Northanger Abbey: And Persuasion. […], volume IV, London: John Murray, […], 20 December 1817 (indicated as 1818), →OCLC:
      “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 […] ”
    • 1977, John Le Carré, The Honourable Schoolboy, Folio Society, published 2010, page 160:
      ‘Tradecraft, Chris,’ Enderby put in, who liked his bit of jargon, and Martindale, still piano, shot him a glance of admiration.

Verb[edit]

piano (third-person singular simple present pianos, present participle pianoing, simple past and past participle pianoed)

  1. To become softer and less intense.
    • 1839, Rosina Doyle Bulwer afterwards Bulwer Lytton (Baroness Lytton.), Cheveley; Or, The Man of Honour, page 385:
      “You know, Mrs. Wrigglechops,” pianoed Miss Drucilla , even more meekly and mildly than before, "the ace is either one or eleven."
    • 2000, David R. Beasley, Aspects of Love: Three novellas, page 83:
      His tone pianoed on intimacy.
    • 2009, David Lau, Virgil and the Mountain Cat, page 61:
      A day pianoed, swelled acutest, pianoed.

Further reading[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

Albanian[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

piano f (plural piano, definite pianoja, definite plural pianot)

  1. (music) piano

Azerbaijani[edit]

Other scripts
Cyrillic пиано
Abjad

Etymology[edit]

Ultimately from Italian piano.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

piano (definite accusative pianonu, plural pianolar)

  1. (music) piano

Declension[edit]

    Declension of piano
singular plural
nominative piano
 pianolar
definite accusative pianonu
 pianoları
dative pianoya
 pianolara
locative pianoda
 pianolarda
ablative pianodan
 pianolardan
definite genitive pianonun
 pianoların
    Possessive forms of piano
nominative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) pianom pianolarım
sənin (“your”) pianon pianoların
onun (“his/her/its”) pianosu pianoları
bizim (“our”) pianomuz pianolarımız
sizin (“your”) pianonuz pianolarınız
onların (“their”) pianosu or pianoları pianoları
accusative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) pianomu pianolarımı
sənin (“your”) pianonu pianolarını
onun (“his/her/its”) pianosunu pianolarını
bizim (“our”) pianomuzu pianolarımızı
sizin (“your”) pianonuzu pianolarınızı
onların (“their”) pianosunu or pianolarını pianolarını
dative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) pianoma pianolarıma
sənin (“your”) pianona pianolarına
onun (“his/her/its”) pianosuna pianolarına
bizim (“our”) pianomuza pianolarımıza
sizin (“your”) pianonuza pianolarınıza
onların (“their”) pianosuna or pianolarına pianolarına
locative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) pianomda pianolarımda
sənin (“your”) pianonda pianolarında
onun (“his/her/its”) pianosunda pianolarında
bizim (“our”) pianomuzda pianolarımızda
sizin (“your”) pianonuzda pianolarınızda
onların (“their”) pianosunda or pianolarında pianolarında
ablative
singular plural
mənim (“my”) pianomdan pianolarımdan
sənin (“your”) pianondan pianolarından
onun (“his/her/its”) pianosundan pianolarından
bizim (“our”) pianomuzdan pianolarımızdan
sizin (“your”) pianonuzdan pianolarınızdan
onların (“their”) pianosundan or pianolarından pianolarından
genitive
singular plural
mənim (“my”) pianomun pianolarımın
sənin (“your”) pianonun pianolarının
onun (“his/her/its”) pianosunun pianolarının
bizim (“our”) pianomuzun pianolarımızın
sizin (“your”) pianonuzun pianolarınızın
onların (“their”) pianosunun or pianolarının pianolarının

Catalan[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

piano m (plural pianos)

  1. (music) piano

Czech[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Derived from Italian piano.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): [ˈpɪjano]
  • IPA(key): [ˈpɪjaːno]
  • Hyphenation: pia‧no

Noun[edit]

piano n

  1. (music) piano
    Synonyms: klavír, klimpr

Declension[edit]

Declension of piano (hard neuter)
singular plural
nominative piano piana
genitive piana pian
dative pianu pianům
accusative piano piana
vocative piano piana
locative pianě, pianu pianech
instrumental pianem piany

Further reading[edit]

  • piano in Příruční slovník jazyka českého, 1935–1957
  • piano in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého, 1960–1971, 1989

Dutch[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from French piano, from Italian piano, shortening of pianoforte.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

piano f or n (plural piano's, diminutive pianootje n)

  1. (music) piano
    Synonym: pianoforte

Derived terms[edit]

Esperanto[edit]

Esperanto Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia eo

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

piano (accusative singular pianon, plural pianoj, accusative plural pianojn)

  1. (music) piano

Derived terms[edit]

Finnish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Italian piano.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈpiɑno/, [ˈpiɑ̝no̞]
  • Rhymes: -iɑno
  • Syllabification(key): pi‧a‧no

Noun[edit]

piano

  1. (music) piano

Declension[edit]

Inflection of piano (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative piano pianot
genitive pianon pianojen
partitive pianoa pianoja
illative pianoon pianoihin
singular plural
nominative piano pianot
accusative nom. piano pianot
gen. pianon
genitive pianon pianojen
partitive pianoa pianoja
inessive pianossa pianoissa
elative pianosta pianoista
illative pianoon pianoihin
adessive pianolla pianoilla
ablative pianolta pianoilta
allative pianolle pianoille
essive pianona pianoina
translative pianoksi pianoiksi
abessive pianotta pianoitta
instructive — pianoin
comitative See the possessive forms below.
Possessive forms of piano (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
first-person singular possessor
singular plural
nominative pianoni pianoni
accusative nom. pianoni pianoni
gen. pianoni
genitive pianoni pianojeni
partitive pianoani pianojani
inessive pianossani pianoissani
elative pianostani pianoistani
illative pianooni pianoihini
adessive pianollani pianoillani
ablative pianoltani pianoiltani
allative pianolleni pianoilleni
essive pianonani pianoinani
translative pianokseni pianoikseni
abessive pianottani pianoittani
instructive — —
comitative — pianoineni
second-person singular possessor
singular plural
nominative pianosi pianosi
accusative nom. pianosi pianosi
gen. pianosi
genitive pianosi pianojesi
partitive pianoasi pianojasi
inessive pianossasi pianoissasi
elative pianostasi pianoistasi
illative pianoosi pianoihisi
adessive pianollasi pianoillasi
ablative pianoltasi pianoiltasi
allative pianollesi pianoillesi
essive pianonasi pianoinasi
translative pianoksesi pianoiksesi
abessive pianottasi pianoittasi
instructive — —
comitative — pianoinesi
first-person plural possessor
singular plural
nominative pianomme pianomme
accusative nom. pianomme pianomme
gen. pianomme
genitive pianomme pianojemme
partitive pianoamme pianojamme
inessive pianossamme pianoissamme
elative pianostamme pianoistamme
illative pianoomme pianoihimme
adessive pianollamme pianoillamme
ablative pianoltamme pianoiltamme
allative pianollemme pianoillemme
essive pianonamme pianoinamme
translative pianoksemme pianoiksemme
abessive pianottamme pianoittamme
instructive — —
comitative — pianoinemme
second-person plural possessor
singular plural
nominative pianonne pianonne
accusative nom. pianonne pianonne
gen. pianonne
genitive pianonne pianojenne
partitive pianoanne pianojanne
inessive pianossanne pianoissanne
elative pianostanne pianoistanne
illative pianoonne pianoihinne
adessive pianollanne pianoillanne
ablative pianoltanne pianoiltanne
allative pianollenne pianoillenne
essive pianonanne pianoinanne
translative pianoksenne pianoiksenne
abessive pianottanne pianoittanne
instructive — —
comitative — pianoinenne
third-person possessor
singular plural
nominative pianonsa pianonsa
accusative nom. pianonsa pianonsa
gen. pianonsa
genitive pianonsa pianojensa
partitive pianoaan
pianoansa 		pianojaan
pianojansa
inessive pianossaan
pianossansa 		pianoissaan
pianoissansa
elative pianostaan
pianostansa 		pianoistaan
pianoistansa
illative pianoonsa pianoihinsa
adessive pianollaan
pianollansa 		pianoillaan
pianoillansa
ablative pianoltaan
pianoltansa 		pianoiltaan
pianoiltansa
allative pianolleen
pianollensa 		pianoilleen
pianoillensa
essive pianonaan
pianonansa 		pianoinaan
pianoinansa
translative pianokseen
pianoksensa 		pianoikseen
pianoiksensa
abessive pianottaan
pianottansa 		pianoittaan
pianoittansa
instructive — —
comitative — pianoineen
pianoinensa

Derived terms[edit]

compounds

Further reading[edit]

Anagrams[edit]

French[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Italian piano. Doublet of plain and plan.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

piano m (plural pianos)

  1. (music) piano
    Il joue du piano avec compétence.
    He plays the piano competently.
    • 1986, “Il était une fois … une maison des musiciens [There Once Was… a House of Musicians]”, in Il était une fois … une petite grenouille [There Once Was… a Little Frog] (fiction), Paris: CLE International:
      Je n’aime pas le piano. Je préfère le football.
      Hein ! Quoi ! Et tu me dis ça à moi, le grand professeur Trompette ? Tiens ! Répète ta leçon cinq fois ! Non, dix fois !
      Je déteste le piano !
      I don’t like the piano. I like football more.
      Huh? What? And you’re telling that to me, the great professor Trumpet? Alright then! Repeat what you’ve learned five times! No, ten times!
      I hate the piano!

Derived terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

→ Turkish: piyano

Further reading[edit]

Italian[edit]

Etymology 1[edit]

From Latin plānus

Pronunciation[edit]

Adjective[edit]

piano (feminine piana, masculine plural piani, feminine plural piane, superlative pianissimo)

  1. plane
  2. flat, level
    Synonym: piatto
  3. plain
  4. soft
    Antonym: forte
  5. penultimate accented
Derived terms[edit]
See also[edit]

Noun[edit]

piano m (plural piani)

  1. plane
  2. floor, storey (British), story (US) (of a building)
  3. plan, tactic, stratagem, scheme, plot
  4. (music) piano, as short for pianoforte
Synonyms[edit]

Adverb[edit]

piano (superlative pianissimo)

  1. slowly
  2. carefully
  3. (music) piano
Related terms[edit]

Further reading[edit]

  • piano1 in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
  • piano2 in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana
  • piano3 in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Etymology 2[edit]

From Pio +‎ -ano.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /piˈa.no/
  • Rhymes: -ano
  • Hyphenation: pi‧à‧no

Adjective[edit]

piano (feminine piana, masculine plural piani, feminine plural piane)

  1. (relational) of any of the popes named Pius; Pian
    Ordine Piano ― Pian Order, Order of Pope Pius IX

Etymology 3[edit]

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈpi.a.no/
  • Rhymes: -iano
  • Hyphenation: pì‧a‧no

Verb[edit]

piano

  1. third-person plural present indicative of piare (“to chirp, to cheep”)

Anagrams[edit]

Japanese[edit]

Romanization[edit]

piano

  1. Rōmaji transcription of ピアノ

Malay[edit]

Noun[edit]

piano (Jawi spelling ڤيانو, plural piano-piano, informal 1st possessive pianoku, 2nd possessive pianomu, 3rd possessive pianonya)

  1. piano

Further reading[edit]

Marshallese[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English piano, short form of pianoforte, from Italian pianoforte, from piano (“soft”) + forte (“strong”). The Italian word piano is from Latin plānus, from Proto-Indo-European *pleh₂-.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • (phonetic) IPA(key): [pʲiɑːnʲɔ], (enunciated) [pʲiɑ nʲɔ]
  • (phonemic) IPA(key): /pʲijæɰnʲɛw/
  • Bender phonemes: {piyahnew}

Noun[edit]

piano (construct form pianoin)

  1. a piano

Verb[edit]

piano (person noun ri-piano)

  1. to play the piano

References[edit]

Norman[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English piano and French piano.

Noun[edit]

piano m (plural pianos)

  1. (Jersey, music) piano

Derived terms[edit]

Norwegian Bokmål[edit]

Norwegian Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia no

Noun[edit]

piano n (definite singular pianoet, indefinite plural piano or pianoer, definite plural pianoa or pianoene)

  1. (music) piano

Related terms[edit]

Norwegian Nynorsk[edit]

Noun[edit]

Norwegian Nynorsk Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia nn

piano n (definite singular pianoet, indefinite plural piano, definite plural pianoa)

  1. (music) piano

Related terms[edit]

Polish[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

piano f

  1. vocative singular of piana

Portuguese[edit]

piano

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from Italian piano,[1] short form of pianoforte. Doublet of plano, chão, and porão.

Pronunciation[edit]

 
  • (Brazil) IPA(key): /piˈɐ̃.nu/ [pɪˈɐ̃.nu]
    • (Southern Brazil) IPA(key): /piˈɐ.no/ [pɪˈɐ.no]
 

  • Rhymes: (Portugal) -ɐnu, (Brazil) -ɐ̃nu
  • Hyphenation: pi‧a‧no

Adjective[edit]

piano

  1. piano

Adverb[edit]

piano

  1. (music) piano, soft
  2. (music) piano, slowly

Noun[edit]

piano m (plural pianos)

  1. (music) piano

Derived terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ “piano” in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa. Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2024.

Romanian[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Unadapted borrowing from Italian piano.

Adverb[edit]

piano

  1. piano

Slovak[edit]

Pronunciation[edit]

Adverb[edit]

piano

  1. musical directive to play softly

Noun[edit]

piano n (genitive singular piana, nominative plural pianá, genitive plural pián, declension pattern of mesto)

  1. (music) piano
    Synonym: klavír
  2. a very soft sound

Declension[edit]

Declension of piano
singular plural
nominative piano pianá
genitive piana pián
dative pianu pianám
accusative piano pianá
locative piane pianách
instrumental pianom pianami

Further reading[edit]

  • “piano”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2024

Spanish[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Clipping of pianoforte, from Italian pianoforte.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈpjano/ [ˈpja.no]
  • Audio (Colombia):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ano
  • Syllabification: pia‧no

Noun[edit]

piano m (plural pianos)

  1. (music) piano

Derived terms[edit]

Related terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

Further reading[edit]

Swahili[edit]

Swahili Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia sw

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English piano.

Noun[edit]

piano (n class, plural piano)

  1. piano

Swedish[edit]

Swedish Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia sv

Pronunciation[edit]

Adverb[edit]

piano (not comparable)

  1. (music) piano

Noun[edit]

piano n

  1. (music) a piano

Declension[edit]

Declension of piano 
Singular Plural
Indefinite Definite Indefinite Definite
Nominative piano pianot pianon pianona
Genitive pianos pianots pianons pianonas

Derived terms[edit]

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Veps[edit]

Etymology[edit]

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun[edit]

piano

  1. (music) piano

Inflection[edit]

Inflection of piano (inflection type 1/ilo)
nominative sing. piano
genitive sing. pianon
partitive sing. pianod
partitive plur. pianoid
singular plural
nominative piano pianod
accusative pianon pianod
genitive pianon pianoiden
partitive pianod pianoid
essive-instructive pianon pianoin
translative pianoks pianoikš
inessive pianos pianoiš
elative pianospäi pianoišpäi
illative pianoho pianoihe
adessive pianol pianoil
ablative pianolpäi pianoilpäi
allative pianole pianoile
abessive pianota pianoita
comitative pianonke pianoidenke
prolative pianodme pianoidme
approximative I pianonno pianoidenno
approximative II pianonnoks pianoidennoks
egressive pianonnopäi pianoidennopäi
terminative I pianohosai pianoihesai
terminative II pianolesai pianoilesai
terminative III pianossai —
additive I pianohopäi pianoihepäi
additive II pianolepäi pianoilepäi

References[edit]

  • Zajceva, N. G., Mullonen, M. I. (2007) “пианино”, in Uz’ venä-vepsläine vajehnik / Novyj russko-vepsskij slovarʹ [New Russian–Veps Dictionary]‎[3], Petrozavodsk: Periodika

Welsh[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English piano.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

piano f (plural pianoau or pianos)

  1. (music) piano, pianoforte

Mutation[edit]

Welsh mutation
radical soft nasal aspirate
piano biano mhiano phiano
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References[edit]

  • R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “piano”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies
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