crescendo
crescendo Lexical Profile
crescendo Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A progressive increase in force, intensity, or excitement, or the highest point reached by such an increase.
"Public enthusiasm for the festival reached a crescendo on the final evening."
A gradual increase in loudness in a piece of music, or a passage played with such an increase.
"The orchestra built a slow crescendo that filled the entire concert hall with rich sound."
• verb
To gradually increase in loudness, force, or intensity.
"The applause crescendoed as the lead actress stepped forward to take her bow."
• adjective
Gradually increasing in loudness or intensity (especially of a musical passage).
"The symphony's final movement features a powerful crescendo passage played by the brass section."
• adverb
With a gradual increase in loudness (used chiefly as a musical direction).
"The conductor signaled for the strings to play crescendo toward the end of the measure."
Word Nuance & Usage
In strict musical terminology, 'crescendo' refers to a gradual increase in loudness rather than the loudest point itself; however, in general modern usage, phrases such as 'rise to a crescendo' or 'reach a crescendo' to mean a climax or peak of intensity are fully established and widely accepted.
• Rhymes for crescendo
Word Origin & Etymology
Borrowed in the late 18th century from Italian 'crescendo' ('growing'), the gerund of 'crescere' ('to grow or increase'), from Latin 'crescere'.