What does allegretto mean?
Allegretto is a musical term borrowed from Italian that denotes a moderately quick tempo — livelier than andante yet more relaxed than allegro. The word combines the Italian allegro (meaning cheerful or brisk) with the diminutive suffix -etto, so it can be read literally as 'a little allegro' or 'somewhat cheerful.' In practice, composers write allegretto over a movement or passage to signal a light, graceful, flowing character rather than headlong speed. It appears most often in classical scores, where it serves as both a performance instruction and a label for the resulting pace. Because metronome equivalents have shifted across musical eras, allegretto is best understood as a flexible range of moderate-to-brisk speeds interpreted in relation to a work's overall style. Beyond notation, the term surfaces in concert programmes, music criticism, and discussions of interpretation, making it essential vocabulary for anyone engaging seriously with Western classical music.
nounA musical tempo marking indicating a moderately fast pace, quicker than andante but slower than allegro; also, a musical passage or movement to be performed at this speed.
- A tempo marking directing a moderately quick, lively pace of performance.
- A passage or movement composed or performed at that tempo.
"The second movement of the symphony is marked allegretto, giving it a light, flowing character."
"Beethoven's Seventh Symphony opens its famous second movement with an allegretto that has become one of the most recognized passages in classical music."
"The teacher asked the students to play the étude allegretto rather than rushing ahead at full speed."
Rarely pluralized in ordinary use; the plural may appear when referring to multiple movements or passages marked allegretto.
"The program featured two allegrettos, one by Beethoven and one by Brahms."
Allegretto literally means 'a little happy' in Italian — composers who wanted their music brisk but not breathless simply told it to be slightly cheerful.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of allegretto
Allegretto comes from Italian, formed from allegro — meaning cheerful, lively, or brisk, ultimately traced to Latin alacer (lively, spirited) — combined with the diminutive suffix -etto, yielding the sense 'a little allegro.' It entered European musical vocabulary during the Baroque and Classical eras as composers adopted Italian tempo terms as standard notation. Cognates include allegro itself and the Italian words allegria (cheerfulness) and allegra (merry), all descending from the same Latin root.
How allegretto is actually used
Allegretto belongs almost entirely to the vocabulary of classical music, appearing mainly in scores, programme notes, and music criticism. It functions both as an adverbial instruction ('play this allegretto') and as a noun naming the tempo itself. Its exact speed varies by composer and era, so performers interpret it contextually relative to surrounding markings.
Easily confused with allegretto
Allegro indicates a fast, brisk tempo, while allegretto is moderately fast — literally 'a little allegro' — and therefore somewhat slower.
Andante indicates a moderate walking pace, whereas allegretto is livelier and faster than andante.