| n. | 1. | (Mus.) A passing tone preceding an essential tone, and borrowing the time it occupies from that; a short auxiliary or grace note one degree above or below the principal note unless it be of the same harmony; - generally indicated by a note of smaller size, as in the illustration above. It forms no essential part of the harmony. |
| Noun | 1. | appoggiatura - an embellishing note usually written in smaller size Synonyms: acciaccatura, grace note |