I. kän.ˈtäbə̇ˌlā, kan.ˈta-, kȧn.ˈtȧ-, kən.ˈt-, -_lē adjective (or adverb)
Etymology: Italian, from Late Latin cantabilis worthy to be sung, from Latin cantare to sing
: in a singing manner : melodious , flowing
a smooth cantabile tone
— often used as a direction in music
II. noun
( -s )
1. : cantabile style — used especially of instrumental music in distinction from recitative or parlando or from the marked rhythm of dance music
2. : a piece or passage in cantabile style
Schumann's passionate and pleading cantabiles — Abram Chasins