largo
C1Formal/Technical
Definition
Meaning
A slow, broad musical tempo; a piece of music played in this tempo.
Sometimes used metaphorically to describe a slow, deliberate pace or manner outside of music.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a musical term. Outside of music, its use is highly stylized, poetic, or humorously pretentious.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Both primarily understand it as a musical term.
Connotations
In both varieties, it conveys formality and technical specificity.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in general English, but standard in musical contexts in both regions.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The piece is [largo].He played the [largo] with great feeling.It was marked '[largo]' in the score.Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “at a largo pace (rare, metaphorical)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used specifically in musicology, history of music, and performance studies.
Everyday
Extremely rare. Would only be used by musicians discussing their work.
Technical
Standard term in sheet music, musical directions, and classical music criticism.
Examples
By Part of Speech
adverb
British English
- Play this largo, as marked.
- The cellos entered largo and sombre.
American English
- The instruction simply reads 'largo'.
- She sang the aria more largo than usual.
adjective
British English
- The largo passage requires immense control.
- He favoured a more largo interpretation.
American English
- The conductor took a dangerously largo tempo.
- Its largo theme is unforgettable.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The music in this part is very slow. It is called a 'largo'.
- The symphony's famous largo movement is often performed separately.
- The tempo marking changed from allegro to largo.
- The pianist's rendition of the largo was criticised for being overly sentimental, losing the structural clarity of the phrase.
- In Baroque music, a largo indicates not just slowness but a stately, broad character.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a LARGE, slow-moving barge-o (largo). It moves broadly and heavily, like the music.
Conceptual Metaphor
SLOWNESS IS SIZE / BREADTH ('large' motion)
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with Russian "ларго" (which is the same term, borrowed). It is not a general adjective for 'wide' or 'broad' in English; that is 'large'. The musical meaning is primary.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a general adjective meaning 'large' (false friend from Spanish/Italian).
- Pronouncing the final 'o' as a short vowel (/ɒ/). It is a long /əʊ/ or /oʊ/.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'largo' most commonly and correctly used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, it is a fully naturalised loanword from Italian, used specifically in the lexicon of Western classical music.
You could, but it would sound highly unusual, poetic, or like you are making a deliberate musical metaphor. 'Slowly' or 'leisurely' are standard choices.
Both denote slow tempos. 'Largo' is generally slower and broader than 'adagio'. 'Largo' implies a sense of breadth and stateliness, while 'adagio' suggests ease and grace at a slow pace.
In British English: /ˈlɑːɡəʊ/. In American English: /ˈlɑrɡoʊ/. The stress is on the first syllable, which has the 'ar' sound from 'car'. The 'g' is hard as in 'go'.