# ritardando

> English word · Adverb

## Definitions
1. Gradually decelerating the tempo of a piece of music, especially at the end of the piece.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Italian ritardando, gerund of ritardare (“to delay, to slow down”).

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/ritardando