tempo1
/ˈtɛmpəʊ
/noun (plural tempos or tempi /ˈtɛmpiː/)
1 Music The speed at which a passage of music is or should be played.Listening to music with a slow tempo helps calm the mind....
- He worked with the pianist to get the tempi of the music precisely right.
- Clapping her hands she set the tempo for the music.
Synonyms
cadence, speed, rhythm, beat, time, pulse;
measure, metre
2The rate or speed of motion or activity; pace: the tempo of life dictated by a heavy workload...
- He wants to maintain the tempo of his activities at a high level.
- The tempo and pace of the game had increased.
- The tempo of economic activity has slowed.
Synonyms
pace, rate, speed, velocity
Origin
Mid 17th century (as a fencing term denoting the timing of an attack): from Italian, from Latin tempus 'time'.
Rhymes
tempo2
/ˈtɛmpəʊ/noun (plural tempos) trademark
(In South Asia) a light three-wheeled delivery van.Motorcycles, cars, tempos and lorries are vying for parking space....
- The only vehicles with whom I lose out are call centre cabs and tempos.
- About forty-five vehicles, including motorbikes, auto-rickshaws and tempos, were burned
Origin
An invented word.