passaggio

noun

pas·​sag·​gio

pəˈsä(ˌ)jō

plural -s

1

: an improvised embellishment or flourish found especially in 16th century music and usually excluding plain scale passages or trills

2

: modulation

3

: passage-work

Word History

Etymology

Italian, literally, passage, from passare to pass (from—assumed—Vulgar Latin) + -aggio -age

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!