tremolo

noun

trem·​o·​lo ˈtre-mə-ˌlō How to pronounce tremolo (audio)
plural tremolos
1
a
: the rapid reiteration of a musical tone or of alternating tones to produce a tremulous effect
b
: vocal vibrato especially when prominent or excessive
2
: a mechanical device in an organ for causing a tremulous effect

Examples of tremolo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Further embellishments include a two-point steel tremolo anchor, synthetic bone nut and faux-vintage tuners. Ron Hart, SPIN, 22 Nov. 2023 With the brand new Mike McCready Stratocaster, the artist now has a guitar designed to his specifics, including a custom pickup set to sound like his 1960 Stratocaster, a six-point tremolo, and a fingerboard radius that has enough arc for chording and easier note bending. Daniel Kohn, Spin, 12 Sep. 2023 Breath comes raggedly, turning his powerful voice into a soft, pausing tremolo. Christopher Maag, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2023 Muhly, more respectful than most, preserves the crisp, clean lines of Monteverdi’s score while filling in all manner of instrumental filigree: delicate arpeggios in the harp, buzzing tremolos in the strings, decorative flourishes in the winds. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 14 Aug. 2023 Occasionally, though, Muhly adds a flourish and a touch of his own idiom: tremolos of shivering tension; glassy violins giving way to arpeggiated textures; dirgelike calls from low brasses; fluttering winds. Joshua Barone, New York Times, 6 Aug. 2023 Small motifs to be repeated virtually at random create woozy effects, followed by anxious string tremolos, mad scrambles and threats from brasses and percussion. Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 22 June 2023 Guitars noodle in the distance, drenched in tremolo and reverb on long, looping delays, while creatures jerk, thrust, jitter, flop, flap, wiggle, pulse, and convulse on-screen. Hazlitt, 23 Nov. 2022 Like, sorry: tremolo, pizzicato, andante, pianissimo, forte, and more are simply horny words. Vulture, 1 May 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tremolo.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Italian, from tremolo tremulous, from Latin tremulus

First Known Use

circa 1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of tremolo was circa 1801

Dictionary Entries Near tremolo

Cite this Entry

“Tremolo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tremolo. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

tremolo

noun
trem·​o·​lo ˈtrem-ə-ˌlō How to pronounce tremolo (audio)
plural tremolos
1
: the rapid repetition of a musical tone or of alternating tones to produce a rapid wavering sound
2
: a mechanical device in an organ for causing a rapid wavering sound

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