Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “cadenza” come from?

Cadenza comes from Italian cadenza, from Latin cadentia (a falling), derived from the verb cadere (to fall), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European ḱad-.

cadenza (English): A part of a piece of music, such as a concerto,...

Definitions

  1. A part of a piece of music, such as a concerto,...

Ancestry of “cadenza”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Italiancadenzacadence; rhythm; third-person singular present...
2Vulgar Latincadentiafalling
3Latincadēns—
4Latincadō—
5Proto-Italickadōfall, sink
6Proto-Indo-Europeanḱad-to fall
Every word from Proto-Indo-European ḱad- →