What does adagio mean?
Adagio is an Italian musical term meaning 'at ease' or 'slowly', used to indicate a leisurely, expressive tempo — slower than andante but not as slow as largo. It serves two main purposes: as a direction telling performers to play slowly and gracefully, and as a noun naming the slow movement of a symphony, sonata, or concerto. Some of the most beloved music ever written lives in adagio movements, from Barber's Adagio for Strings to the slow movements of Mozart and Beethoven. The word also belongs to the ballet studio, where an adagio is a sequence of slow, controlled movements — often performed with a partner — that tests a dancer's balance, strength, and poise. Because it comes from Italian, the standard plural among musicians is 'adagi', though 'adagios' is widely accepted in English. Related forms include the adagietto, a shorter or slightly quicker slow movement. Elegant and evocative, adagio connotes calm, depth, and emotional weight.
A piece, passage, or movement of music intended to be played slowly and gracefully; the tempo marking indicating such a pace.
"The string quartet closed its programme with a luminous adagio by Barber."
Also used adverbially as a tempo direction: 'the passage should be played adagio'.
In ballet, a sequence of slow, controlled movements — often a partnered duet — emphasizing balance, extension, and fluidity.
"The pas de deux began with a breathtaking adagio lifted straight from the classical repertoire."
English-language writing commonly uses 'adagios'; musicians following Italian convention may prefer 'adagi'. Both are accepted.
"The album collects several of Mozart's finest adagios."
Mahler's Adagietto — technically just a little 'adagio' — became world-famous as the love theme in Visconti's film Death in Venice.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of adagio
Adagio comes from the Italian phrase ad agio, literally 'at ease' or 'comfortably', formed from the preposition a ('at') and agio ('ease'), which ultimately derives from Latin. It entered general European usage during the rise of Italian musical terminology in the 17th century, when composers across Europe adopted Italian words for tempo and expression. Its diminutive form, adagietto, means a small or somewhat faster adagio. The word shares its Italian musical vocabulary family with terms like allegro ('cheerful') and andante ('walking').
Related word forms
How adagio is actually used
Adagio is an Italian musical term used internationally and remains unanglicized in form. In music it functions both as a noun (a slow movement) and as an adverbial tempo direction ('played adagio'). Pluralization varies: English writers often use 'adagios', while Italian convention prefers 'adagi'.
Easily confused with adagio
An adagietto is a shorter or slightly faster adagio — a small-scale slow movement, most famously the one in Mahler's Fifth Symphony.