piz·zi·ca·to
ˌpit-si-ˈkä-(ˌ)tō 
plural pizzicati
ˌpit-si-ˈkä-(ˌ)tē
: a note or passage played by plucking strings
pizzicato
2 of 2adverb or adjective
: by means of plucking instead of bowing
—used as a direction in music
compare arco
Examples of pizzicato in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 10 Mar. 2024
Taylor was especially exciting to watch through this second half, locking into charming pizzicato figures with the cello and violas under bright, unfurling violins.
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2024
Generous pizzicato added an edge of suspense to the piece, and there was a strange bell-like sound created in the second movement.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 26 Jan. 2024
In the short prelude, light yet pungent pizzicato plucks — amid brooding low strings and an elegiac solo violin — movingly evoke Jesus’s mother’s tears without feeling too obvious.
—Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 23 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for pizzicato 
Noun
That pizzicato hook — a blend of synthesizer and guitar — is undeniable.
—Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 10 Mar. 2024
Taylor was especially exciting to watch through this second half, locking into charming pizzicato figures with the cello and violas under bright, unfurling violins.
—Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 9 Feb. 2024
Generous pizzicato added an edge of suspense to the piece, and there was a strange bell-like sound created in the second movement.
—Sheila Regan, Twin Cities, 26 Jan. 2024
In the short prelude, light yet pungent pizzicato plucks — amid brooding low strings and an elegiac solo violin — movingly evoke Jesus’s mother’s tears without feeling too obvious.
—Zachary Woolfe, New York Times, 23 Nov. 2023
See all Example Sentences for pizzicato
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pizzicato.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Pizzicato.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pizzicato. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
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