noun
- Plural of legato; a smooth, connected style of playing or singing in which notes flow without breaks.
Usage: music term; Italian origin
Examples
- The violinist performed several legatos with graceful, flowing movements.
- In classical music, legatos are often contrasted with staccato passages.
- The pianist's legatos created a seamless, lyrical quality throughout the piece.
- String players must practice legatos to develop smooth bowing technique.
- The composer marked the passage with legatos to emphasize the emotional melody.