n.
Pronunciation: ˌ fo ̇ r- ˌ t ā -p ē - ' a-( ˌ )n ō also - ' ä-( ˌ )n ō
Function: noun
Etymology: French or Italian; French, from Italian, from forte loud + piano soft
Date: 1771
: an early form of the piano originating in the 18th and early 19th centuries and having a smaller range and softer timbre than a modern piano