Lento
/ˈlɛn.toʊ/noun
A musical direction meaning slow and broad.
Did you know?Lento comes from Italian, ultimately from Latin lentus, meaning “slow” or “pliable,” a root that also gave English the word lentil through the idea of the seed’s “flexible” shape.
Etymological Timeline
Latin
Latin
lentus
“slow, pliant, tenacious; sticky or yielding”
Medieval Italian
Italian
lento
“slow, slack, leisurely”
17th Century
Italian
lento
“a slow musical pace or movement”
18th Century
English
lento
“a musical direction indicating slow tempo”
Modern English
English
lento
“slowly and broadly, especially in music”