tempo

noun TEM-poh Rare

Origin: Borrowed from Italian 'tempo' (time), from Latin 'tempus'.

Also means

pace

Usage Note

Tempo in French is used primarily in music to denote the speed at which a piece is played, and more broadly for the pace or rhythm of an activity. The plural is tempos (or occasionally the Italian tempi in musical writing). It is also used figuratively: le tempo des négociations (the pace of negotiations). The word is always masculine.

Examples

"Le chef d'orchestre impose un tempo rapide."

Natural Translation

The conductor sets a fast tempo.

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