I. adjective
also so·sti·nen·te |sōstə|nentē, -en.(ˌ)tā
Etymology: Italian sostenente, from present participle of sostenere to sustain, from Latin sustinēre — more at sustain
: sustaining ; sometimes : sostenuto
II. noun
or sostinente “
( -s )
Etymology: sostenente alteration of sostinente; sostinente short for sostinente pianoforte
: a device on a piano for attaining a sostenuto effect — compare sostinente pianoforte