/ stəˈkɑːtəʊ; NAmE -toʊ/ adjective
1.
( music ) with each note played separately in order to produce short, sharp sounds :
staccato sounds
OPP legato
2.
with short, sharp sounds :
a peculiar staccato voice
staccato bursts of gunfire
► stac·cato adverb
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WORD ORIGIN
Italian , literally detached .