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nocturne

/ˈnɑktərn/
IPA guide

Other forms: nocturnes

A nocturne is a piece of dreamy piano music. A particularly lovely, well-played nocturne might bring tears to your eyes. Sniff, sniff.

Nocturnes are traditionally inspired by or suggesting nighttime, with the resulting composition being romantic and a bit melancholy. The earliest nocturnes were written and performed (usually in the evening) in the eighteenth century. Chopin is probably the most well known composer of nocturnes, having written twenty-one of them. The word nocturne comes from the Latin nocturnus, "belonging to the night."

Definitions of nocturne
  1. noun
    a pensive lyrical piece of music (especially for the piano)
    synonyms: notturno
    see moresee less
    type of:
    composition, musical composition, opus, piece, piece of music
    a musical work that has been created
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