Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

fermata

/ˌfɜːɹˈmɑtə/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 1.34 in modern English

Syllables: fer-ma-ta
IPA: /ˌfɜːɹˈmɑtə/

12

Scrabble Score

7

Letters

3

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The holding of a note or rest for longer than its usual duration.

Countable; Uncountable

noun

The notation ⟨◌͒⟩ of such a prolongation, usually represented as a dot with a semi-circle above or below it, written above or below the prolonged note or rest.

Countable

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian fermata, from fermare (“to stop”).

Origin

Source language: Italian

Word Breakdown

Root: *dʰer-, fermata

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˌfɜːɹˈmɑtə/
British English: /ˌfɜːˈmɑːtə/

Usage

Inflected Forms

fermatas (plural) fermate (plural)

Synonyms

hold bird's-eye

Rhymes With

iwata ogata data strata sonata regatta errata cantata stigmata oblongata burrata via ferrata

Questions

How do you pronounce fermata?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˌfɜːɹˈmɑtə/.
What does fermata mean?: The holding of a note or rest for longer than its usual duration.
Where does fermata come from?: It is traced to Italian.

How to pronounce fermata

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “fermata”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌfɜːɹˈmɑtə/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “fermata”.
Repeat and practice — Say “fermata” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.