adagio

Name: adagio, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/əˈdɑːd͡ʒiəʊ/

//əˈdɑːd͡ʒiəʊ// noun

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“adagio” is an uncommon English word, ranked #52,758 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#52,758
frequency rank, English: 6
letters

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A tempo mark directing that a passage is to be played rather slowly, leisurely and gracefully.

Key facts for adagio
Property	Value
Headword	adagio
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/əˈdɑːd͡ʒiəʊ/
Letters	6
Frequency rank	#52,758
Misspellings tracked	0
Confusable pairs	0
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “adagio” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). adagio lands here:

#52,758

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for adagio is 6 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /əˈdɑːd͡ʒiəʊ/. Corpus data places it at rank #52,758 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. Wiktionary records 3 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

We couldn't generate a plausible misspelling set for adagio, which points to an orthography that plays by predictable English rules. This entry stands alone in our confusable dataset, since its spelling is unusual enough that it doesn't cluster with a lookalike.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from Italian adagio. The correct English form is adagio, spelled A-D-A-G-I-O.

Definition

1
A tempo mark directing that a passage is to be played rather slowly, leisurely and gracefully.
2
A passage having this mark.
3
A male-female duet or mixed trio ballet displaying demanding balance, spins and/or lifts.

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian adagio.

This word in other languages

adágio(Português)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "adagio"?

"adagio" is spelled A-D-A-G-I-O. The IPA pronunciation is /əˈdɑːd͡ʒiəʊ/.

What does "adagio" mean?

As a noun, "adagio" means: A tempo mark directing that a passage is to be played rather slowly, leisurely and gracefully.

How do you pronounce "adagio"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "adagio" is /əˈdɑːd͡ʒiəʊ/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "adagio"?

Borrowed from Italian adagio. See the full etymology section above for more details.

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “adagio”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is A-D-A-G-I-O - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /əˈdɑːd͡ʒiəʊ/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.