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Origin and history of legato

legato(adv.)

in music, "smoothly, without intervals," 1811, from Italian legato, literally "bound," past participle of legare, from Latin ligare "tie" (from PIE root *leig- "to tie, bind"). Related: Legatissimo.

also from 1811

Entries linking to legato

staccato(adv.)

in music, "separated from one another by slight pauses" (opposed to legato), 1724, from Italian staccato, literally "detached, disconnected," past participle of staccare "to detach," shortened form of distaccare "separate, detach," from French destacher, from Old French destachier "to detach" (see detach). As an adverb from 1844. Related: Staccatissimo "very staccato."

*leig-

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to tie, bind." 

It might form all or part of: alloy; ally; colligate; deligate; furl; league (n.1) "alliance;" legato; liable; liaison; lien; lictor; ligand; ligament; ligate; ligation; ligature; oblige; rally (v.1) "bring together;" religion; rely.

It might also be the source of: Latin ligare "to bind;" Albanian lidh "I bind," and possibly Middle Low German lik "band," Middle High German geleich "joint, limb."

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    smooth
    "having a uniform surface, not rough," a Middle English form, from Old English smoð, a variant of smeðe "free from roughness, not harsh, polished; soft; suave; agreeable," which is of unknown origin and has no known cognates. The usual form in early Middle English was smeeth, but
    shibboleth
    late 14c., in Bible translations, the Hebrew word shibboleth, meaning "flood, stream," also "ear of corn," as used in Judges xii.4-6. During the slaughter at the fords of Jordan, the Gileadites took it as a password to distinguish their men from fleeing Ephraimites, because Ephra
    epiphany
    early 14c., "festival of the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles" (celebrated Jan. 6; usually with a capital -E-), from Old French epiphanie, from Late Latin epiphania, neuter plural (taken as feminine singular), from late Greek epiphaneia "manifestation, striking appearance,
    gospel
    Old English godspel "glad tidings announced by Jesus; one of the four gospels," literally "good spell," from god "good" (see good (adj.)) + spel "story, message" (see spell (n.1)). A translation of Latin bona adnuntiatio, itself a translation of Greek euangelion "reward for bring
    profit
    mid-13c., "income derived from an office, property, transaction, etc.;" c. 1300, "benefit, spiritual benefit, advantage;" from Old French prufit, porfit "profit, gain" (mid-12c.), from Latin profectus "growth, advance, increase, success, progress," noun use of past participle of
    cardinal
    early 12c., "one of the ecclesiastical princes who constitute the sacred college," from Medieval Latin cardinalis, originally as a noun "one of the presbyters of the chief (cardinal) churches of Rome," short for cardinalis ecclesiae Romanae or episcopus cardinalis, from Latin car
    cultivate
    by 1650s, of land, "till, prepare for crops;" by 1690s of crops, "raise or produce by tillage;" from Medieval Latin cultivatus, past participle of cultivare "to cultivate," from Late Latin cultivus "tilled," from Latin cultus "care, labor; cultivation," from past participle of co
    history
    late 14c., "relation of incidents" (true or false), from Old French estoire, estorie "story; chronicle, history" (12c., Modern French histoire), from Latin historia "narrative of past events, account, tale, story," from Greek historia "a learning or knowing by inquiry; an account
    state
    [mode or form of existence] c. 1200, stat, "circumstances, position in society, temporary attributes of a person or thing, conditions," from Old French estat "position, condition; status, stature, station," and directly from Latin status "a station, position, place; way of standi
    bank
    "financial institution," late 15c., originally "money-dealer's counter or shop," from Old Italian banca and also from French banque (itself from the Italian word), both meaning "table," from a Germanic source (such as Old High German bank "bench, moneylender's table"), from Proto

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