# rubato

> English word · Noun · IPA /rəˈbɑ.toʊ/

## Definitions
1. A tempo in which strict timing is relaxed, the music being played near, but not on, the beat.

## Etymology
Borrowed from Italian rubato (“robbed, stolen”), since the time is "borrowed".

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