/kav'euh tee"neuh/ ; It. /kah'vah tee"nah/ , n. , pl. cavatine /-nay/ ; It. /-ne/ . Music.
a simple song or melody, properly one without a second part or a repeat; an air.
[ 1830-40; cavat ( a ) song (lit., something drawn out, n. use of fem. of cavata cavatus hollowed out, hollow; see CAVE, -ATE 1 ) + -ina -INE 1 ]