Larghettos

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. Extremely large or wide bands or strips; very broad or extensive flat areas; greatly expanded elongated shapes
2. Exceptionally spacious or wide parts often in design or nature; broad and lengthy sections or zones; significantly stretched or magnified linear forms
3. Vastly wide or large strips used in various contexts; amplified broad or linear expanses; notably extended or oversized segments

Etymology: "Larghettos" is the plural of "larghetto," a term borrowed from Italian, where it is a diminutive of "largo," meaning "broad" or "slow." In music, "largo" marks a very slow tempo, and "larghetto" is a diminutive form meaning "a little less slow," the sense in which the term is used as a tempo marking. The plural "larghettos" is the form of that noun, used when several such passages or pieces are referred to together. The suffix "-etto" is the Italian diminutive ending, so the word's literal sense is "a somewhat broad or slow little thing," which is why the term has been carried over into English as a musical marking. Because the meaning you have supplied, of wide strips or expanses, does not match the musical sense, the word may be used figuratively in that broader way, but its etymology is rooted in the Italian musical term.

Synonyms: largos, slow tempos, broad movements, expanded passages, slow sections

Antonyms: allegrettos, presto, vivace, fast tempos, quick passages