/ob'li gah"toh/ ; It. /awb'blee gah"taw/ , adj., n., pl. obbligatos, obbligati /-tee/ . Music.
adj.
1. (used as a musical direction) obligatory or indispensable; so important that it cannot be omitted.
n.
2. an obbligato part or accompaniment.
3. a continuing or persistent subordinate or background motif.
4. a subordinate part of a solo.
Also, obligato .
[ 1715-25; obligatus; see OBLIGATE ]