obbligato
1 of 2adjective
ob·bli·ga·to ˌä-blə-ˈgä-(ˌ)tō 
: not to be omitted : obligatory —used as a direction in music compare ad libitum
obbligato
2 of 2noun
plural obbligatos also obbligati ˌä-blə-ˈgä-tē
1
: an elaborate especially melodic part accompanying a solo or principal melody and usually played by a single instrument
a song with violin obbligato
2
: accompaniment sense 2b
especially : an attendant background sound
Synonyms
Noun
- accompaniment
- attendant
- companion
- concomitant
- corollary
- incident
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Noun with the babble of the brook as an obbligato, we enjoyed our picnic
Recent Examples on the Web
Will Crutchfield, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2020 Mick Stevens, The New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2021 The long orchestral introduction left no doubt as to where composer Stephenson’s interests lay, the work’s first two movements amounting to symphonic statements with bass trombone obbligato. Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, 14 June 2019 The aria is enhanced by trumpet and oboe obbligatos, which were handled deftly by trumpeter Steve Marquardt and oboist Debra Nagy. Special To The Plain Dealer, cleveland.com, 16 Oct. 2017 The orchestra's alert accompaniment was at one with the pianist's purposes, as was Stefan Ragnar Hoskuldsson's dulcet flute obbligato in the opening movement. John Von Rhein, chicagotribune.com, 9 June 2017
Adjective
The other was the whole first section of the fast movement, a solo in F major with obbligato flute, in which Florestan recalls happier days with Leonore at his side. Will Crutchfield, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2020 Noun
As an obbligato of protest continued behind Wilson, Dylan, accepting Wilson’s advice, sang the insert. Mick Stevens, The New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2021 The long orchestral introduction left no doubt as to where composer Stephenson’s interests lay, the work’s first two movements amounting to symphonic statements with bass trombone obbligato. Howard Reich, chicagotribune.com, 14 June 2019 The aria is enhanced by trumpet and oboe obbligatos, which were handled deftly by trumpeter Steve Marquardt and oboist Debra Nagy. Special To The Plain Dealer, cleveland.com, 16 Oct. 2017 The orchestra's alert accompaniment was at one with the pianist's purposes, as was Stefan Ragnar Hoskuldsson's dulcet flute obbligato in the opening movement. John Von Rhein, chicagotribune.com, 9 June 2017 Word History
Etymology
Adjective
borrowed from Italian, "obligatory, essential to a musical composition," from past participle of obbligare "to require (someone to do something), oblige," going back to Latin obligāre — more at oblige
Noun
derivative of obbligato entry 1
First Known Use
Adjective
1740, in the meaning defined above
Noun
1825, in the meaning defined at sense 1
obbligato
noun
as in accompaniment
something that is found along with something else with the babble of the brook as an obbligato, we enjoyed our picnic Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- accompaniment
- concomitant
- companion
- attendant
- corollary
- incident
- complement
- appendage
- consequence
- accessory
- adjunct
- supplement
- accessary
- counterpart
- trimmings
- fixings
- fellow
- mate
- follow-up