dolce

sweetly, gently (music)

adverb DOL-cheh Rare

Origin: Italian dolce (sweet)

Usage Note

Dolce is an Italian musical direction borrowed into French, indicating that a passage should be played or sung sweetly and softly. It also appears in the phrase dolce vita ('sweet life'), made famous by Fellini, which French speakers use without translation to mean a life of ease and pleasure.

Examples

"Jouez ce passage dolce, s'il vous plaît."

Natural Translation

Play this passage sweetly, please.

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