tempo

Language: en

🇬🇧 /ˈtɛmpəʊ/ 🇺🇸 /ˈtɛˌmpoʊ/

📖 Definitions

  1. noun
    The speed or pace at which a piece of music is performed, typically measured in beats per minute.; The rate or pace of any activity, process, or event.; In chess, a unit of time measured by one move; the advantage gained by making a move that forces the opponent to respond in a particular way.; In fencing, the timing or rhythm of an action or series of actions.

🔗 Details

Word forms

countable Plural: tempos, tempi

Collocations

slow tempofast tempoup-temposet the tempochange of tempoat a brisk tempo

Synonyms

pacespeedraterhythmcadence

Commonly confused

temp
EN: 'temp' is an informal abbreviation for 'temporary' or 'temporary worker'; 'tempo' refers to speed or pace, especially in music.
temporal
EN: 'temporal' relates to time or worldly affairs (from Latin 'tempus'); 'tempo' specifically refers to the speed or pace of music or activity.

Spelling tips

EN: The plural can be either 'tempos' (regular English) or 'tempi' (Italian plural, preferred in musical contexts). Both are correct.

💬 Examples

  1. The conductor increased the tempo in the final movement to create a sense of urgency.

  2. The tempo of city life was overwhelming for someone raised in a small town.

  3. White gained a tempo by developing a piece with a check.

  4. The fencer waited for the right tempo before launching his attack.