Diminuendo

diminuendo

noun di-mi-nu-EN-do Rare

Origin: from Italian diminuire, to diminish

Also means

a gradual decrease in loudness

Usage Note

Diminuendo (also decrescendo, abbr. dim.) is the opposite of Crescendo. A beautifully shaped Diminuendo to Pianissimo at a phrase ending is a hallmark of expressive performance.

Examples

"Das Diminuendo am Ende der Strophe ließ die Musik sanft verhallen."

Natural Translation

The diminuendo at the end of the verse let the music fade away gently.

Literal Translation

The diminuendo at the end of the verse let the music gently die-away.

Related Words

Explore German by topic

GermanNow

German Modal Particles: doch, mal, ja, eben

German modal particles doch, mal, ja, and eben add attitude, not meaning. Before/after examples show how to use each one so your German stops sounding stiff.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

Tipping in Germany: A Visitor's Etiquette Guide

Tipping in Germany means saying your total out loud, not leaving coins. Learn the exact phrases, how much to tip, and the Sie-vs-du etiquette travelers need.

June 5, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German Two-Way Prepositions: Accusative or Dative?

Use accusative for movement into a place (wohin?) and dative for a fixed location (wo?). Master all nine German two-way prepositions with one simple test.

June 9, 2026 6 min read

GermanNow

German Modal Verbs: Können, Müssen, Wollen and More

German modal verbs put the modal in position 2 and the real verb at the end. Master können, müssen, wollen and the rest with charts and clear examples.

June 5, 2026 5 min read