ostinato
/ˌɒstɪˈnɑːtəʊ
/noun (plural ostinatos or ostinati /ˌɒstɪˈnɑːti/)
A continually repeated musical phrase or rhythm: [as modifier]: the cellos have the tune, above an ostinato bass figure...
- He exploits rock idioms, such as rapidly repeated chords, ostinato bass lines and syncopated rhythms, but with little variation of content.
- It is to be found in the basso ostinato, a repeated bass line over which a keyboard player or lutenist improvises chords and a singer or player evolves a melody.
- The jazzy, flowing first movement made way for a stunning allegro: pizzicato ostinati, Spanish dance rhythms, dramatic passion to the fore.
Origin
Italian, literally 'obstinate'.
Rhymes
- Pteropoda
- pteropodial
- pteropodid
- pteropodine
- pteropod ooze
- Pteropus
- pterosaur
- pterosaurian
- pterostigma
- pterostigmal
- pterotheca
- pterotic
- pteroyl
- pteroylglutamic acid
- pterygium
- pterygoidal
- pterygoid bone
- pterygoidean
- pterygoid fossa
- pterygoid muscle
- pterygoid plate
- pterygoid process
- pterygoid ridge
- pterygoid tubercle
- pterygomaxillary