WordGarden.ioostinato
C2Pronunciation
UK
US
- /ˌɑstəˈnɑˌtoʊ/
Meanings
Noun
a short musical phrase or rhythm that is repeated persistently
Adjective
marked by a persistently repeated musical phrase or rhythm
Beyond the definition
Imagine a tiny hummingbird flitting around a flower, returning again and again to the same spot. That's a bit like an ostinato. In music, it is a short pattern of notes or beats that repeats over and over while other parts of the piece change around it.
Most of the time, the word is used in music. It can describe a repeated melody, rhythm, or bass pattern that gives a piece a steady, driving feel. The word comes from Italian and is linked to the idea of being stubborn or fixed, which fits its sense of repetition.
"Ostinato" (pronounced oh-stee-NAH-toh) comes from music. It refers to a short melodic phrase, rhythmic figure, or bass pattern that is repeated again and again through part or all of a piece. Think of it as a musical anchor: something steady that stays in place while harmony, texture, or melody changes around it. Composers use it to build tension, create momentum, or produce a trance-like effect. A famous example appears in Ravel's Bolero, where the same rhythm keeps returning throughout the work.
In ordinary English, the word is still mostly musical. Sometimes it is used more loosely for a repeated idea or motif in writing or speech, but that use is less common and usually sounds figurative. The central idea is still the same: a pattern that keeps coming back with a stubborn, fixed quality.
For example: "The piece opens with a low string ostinato that continues under the melody." Or, "A simple piano ostinato gave the song its forward motion." The word suggests more than one or two repeats; it points to a pattern that is meant to stay present and shape the whole feel of the passage. So when you hear a musical idea that keeps circling back, holding everything together, you are probably hearing an ostinato.
Examples
- 1
String section
The cellos play a quiet ostinato under the main melody.
- 2
Song arrangement
The singer holds long notes over a bright guitar ostinato.
- 3
Repeating sound
All morning, the dripping tap made a tiny ostinato in the quiet kitchen.
- Usage
ostinato can be used outside music for a sound or idea that keeps repeating
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- ostinatonoun