Well, the words are usually Italian or French and they are there to help us understand what the piece is supposed to sound like and how you’re supposed to play it.

So here is your very own TMS online dictionary of Musical terms. They are listed in alphabetical order so its easier for you to find what your looking for!

Now that you have some idea of musical terms you can challenge yourself with our word search and challenge sheets below. Just click and print!

1. 1.Music Terms Word Search
   

2. 2.Music Terms Tick the Box
   

Once you have attempted a music fun worksheet then you can even bring it in to your teacher and he or she will correct it for you. Cool!

A

A tempo - Back to the original speed.

Accelerando - Gradually get faster

Adagio - Played slowly

Allargando - Broaden

Allegretto - Slower than allegro

Allegro - A fast, lively tempo, merry quick and bright!

Andante - Moderately slow tempo

Andantino - A little slower than Andante

Animato - Animated, with character!

Appassionato - passionately

Assai - Very

B

Brillante - Sparkling, bright & brilliant!

Brio - Vigorous

C

Cantabile - “singing”; singing style

Capo - The beginning

Con - With

Con fuoco - With fire

Con moto - With movement

Con spirito - With spirit

Con sordini - With mutes

Crescendo / Cresc. - Gradually get louder

D

Da Capo / D.C - From the beginning

Dal Segno / D.S - From the sign

Decrescendo - Gradually get softer

Diminuendo / Dim. - Gradually get softer

Dolce - Play sweetly

Douloureux - Play with sorrow or sadness

E

Espress / Espressivo - With expression & feeling

E / et / ed - and

F

f / Forte - Strong & loud

ff / Fortissimo - Very loud

Forzando - With strong accent

G

Giocoso - Gay, merrily

Grave - Very slowly

Grazioso - Gracefully

L

Langsam (German) - Slowly

Largo - Slow & stately, broad

Legato - Play smoothly

Leggiero - Lightly

Lent / Lento - Slowly

M

Ma non troppo - Without rushing

Maetoso - Majestically

M.D / Mano Destra - Right-hand

M.S / Mano Sinistra - Left-hand

Marcato - Marked, accented

Meno - Less

Meno mosso - Less movement

Mezzo - Moderately

mf / Mezzo forte - Moderately loud

mp / Mezzo piano - Moderately soft

Misterioso - Mysteriously

Molto - Much

O

Ossia - Indicates an alternative version

P

Ped. - Depress the sustaining pedal of the pianoforte

Perdendosi - Dying away

Pesante - Heavily

Piacvole - Pleasing

pp / Pianissimo - Very soft

p / Piano - soft / quiet

Pizz. / Pizzicato - Plucked (string)

Piu - More

Poco - A little

Poco a poco - Little by little

Presto - Very quick

Pretissimo - As fast as possible

R

Rall. / Rallentando - Become gradually slower

Risoluto - Boldly

Rit. / Ritenuto - Hold back

Ritmico - Rhythmically

S

Scherzo - A joke, jokingly

Scherzando - Playfully

Segno - A sign

Sempre - Always

sf / sfz / Sforzando - With a sudden accent

Simile - In a similar manner

Sordini - Muted

Staccato / Stacc. - Short & detached

Subito - Suddenly

T

Tempo - The speed of the music

Tenuto / Ten. - Held

Tranquillo - Quietly, calmly

Troppo - Too much

V

Vivace - Lively / Quick

Ever spotted those funny words on your music and wondered what they were?

Maybe your teacher has already explained what they mean but you have forgotten! OOoops!