/ ˈtempəʊ; NAmE -poʊ/ noun [ C , U ] ( pl. -os or, in sense 1, technical tempi / ˈtempiː; NAmE /)
1.
the speed or rhythm of a piece of music :
a slow / fast tempo
It's a difficult piece, with numerous changes of tempo.
2.
the speed of any movement or activity
SYN pace :
the increasing tempo of life in Western society
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WORD ORIGIN
mid 17th cent. (as a fencing term denoting the timing of an attack): from Italian , from Latin tempus time.