What does arpeggio mean?
An arpeggio is a chord played as a sequence of individual notes rather than sounded all at once — for example, striking C, then E, then G in rapid succession instead of together. The term comes from the Italian arpeggiare, meaning to play like a harp, an instrument on which sweeping across strings note by note is natural. Arpeggios are foundational to music-making: they underpin accompaniment patterns on piano and guitar, provide virtuoso showpieces in violin and keyboard repertoire, and give singers a standard exercise for warming up the voice. A passage may rise or fall through an arpeggio, and composers use it to create motion, sparkle, and harmonic clarity within a single gesture. Though primarily a musician's term, arpeggio is widely understood by general listeners and appears frequently in discussions of melody, practice, and performance.
nounA chord whose notes are played or sung one after another in quick succession, rather than simultaneously; also a figure or passage built from such broken chords.
- A musical technique in which the notes of a chord are played consecutively rather than simultaneously.
- A written passage or figure composed of such consecutive chord tones, common in solo instrumental music.
"She opened the recital with a shimmering arpeggio that rippled up the keyboard."
"The guitarist's fingers danced through a rapid arpeggio in E minor."
"Practice each arpeggio slowly before increasing the tempo."
The regular English plural 'arpeggios' is standard; the Italian plural 'arpeggi' is a rare variant found mainly in formal classical-music writing.
"The étude consists entirely of sweeping arpeggios across three octaves."
The word literally means 'harp-like' — because harpists can't sound full chords easily, they sweep across the strings one note at a time, and the rest of the orchestra followed suit.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of arpeggio
Arpeggio comes from the Italian verb arpeggiare, meaning 'to play upon the harp,' which derives from arpa, the Italian word for harp, itself borrowed from Germanic sources. The term entered English in the 18th century as musicians adopted Italian terminology for performance techniques, joining words like concerto, tempo, and crescendo. Its root thus ties it to other harp-related vocabulary, most visibly the harpsichord, whose name likewise invokes the harp.
How arpeggio is actually used
Chiefly a technical term in music education and performance; plural is normally 'arpeggios', though the Italian-style 'arpeggi' occasionally appears in classical-music contexts. Used figuratively only rarely.
Easily confused with arpeggio
A chord sounds all its notes together, whereas an arpeggio plays the same notes in sequence.