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Vinony

sotto voce

adverb

No English definition recorded for this entry.

L199882 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˌsɒtəʊ ˈvəʊtʃeɪ/ / /ˌsɑtoʊ ˈvoʊtʃi/ / /-tʃeɪ/

adj

Etymology: Borrowed from Italian sottovoce (literally “under [the] voice”).

  1. In soft tones; quiet.

    “Then a man called for her, and began to make coarse jokes. But Mr. Pappleworth nodded his head in the direction of the boy, and the talk went on sotto voce.”

    “‘Hello?’ she shouted, but still her voice came out barely louder than a sotto voce whisper.”

  2. Soft, instruments or voice.

adv

Etymology: Borrowed from Italian sottovoce (literally “under [the] voice”).

  1. Quietly.

    “"I am not your dear; I cannot lie down. Send me to school soon, Mrs. Reed, for I hate to live here." I will indeed send her to school soon," murmured Mrs. Reed sotto voce; and gathering up her work, she abruptly quitted the apartment.”

    ““Darling,” she says, “a working-class hero is something to be. “Of course,” she adds, sotto voce, “I wouldn’t know.””

  2. Sung or played softly, instruments or voice.

noun

Etymology: Borrowed from Italian sottovoce (literally “under [the] voice”).

  1. A direction in a score that a passage in a piece should be played softly, or sung in a low voice, when applied to vocal music.