ritardando

/ˈriˈtɑrˌdɑnˈdoʊ/

Other forms: ritardandos

When you come to a passage marked ritardando in a piece of music, you know you need to start decreasing the tempo.

Like most instructions in music, ritardando is Italian. It means "gradually slowing down," and is usually abbreviated to ritard. or rit. Like -endo, the ending -ando indicates a process, or a gradual change. Rallentando also means "gradually slowing down," but the two instructions are used differently. Rallentando usually applies when the tempo is about to change from a faster section to a slower one, whereas ritardando is used at the end of a piece, where it slows gradually to a complete stop.

Definitions of ritardando

1. adjective

   (music) gradually decreasing in tempo; also used figuratively
   synonyms: rallentando, rit., ritenuto

   decreasing

   music
2. noun

   (music) a gradual decrease in tempo; an instruction in music
   synonyms: rallentando
3. adverb

   (music) with a gradual decrease in tempo
   synonyms: rallentando