TENUTO Meaning of TENUTO in English adv., adj., & n. Mus. adv. & adj. (of a note etc.) sustained, given its full time-value (cf. LEGATO, STACCATO). n. (pl. -os) a note or chord played tenuto. [ It., = held ] Concise Oxford English dictionary. Краткий оксфордский словарь английского языка. 2012