crescendo

See also: Crescendo

English

WOTD – 31 March 2009

Alternative forms

• cres., cresc.

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian crescendo, gerund of crescere (“to grow, to increase”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /kɹɪˈʃɛn.dəʊ/, /kɹəˈʃɛn.dəʊ/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /kɹɪˈʃɛn.doʊ/, /kɹəˈʃɛn.doʊ/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Audio (General Australian):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: cres‧cen‧do

Noun

Crescendo notation.

crescendo (plural crescendos or crescendi or crescendoes)

1. (music) An instruction to play gradually more loudly, denoted by a long, narrow angle with its apex on the left ( < ), by musicians called a hairpin.
2. (figuratively) A gradual increase of anything, especially to a dramatic climax.

   Their fighting rose in a fearsome crescendo.

3. (figuratively, nonstandard) The climax of a gradual increase.

   Their arguing rose to a fearsome crescendo.

   • 2011 October 20, Michael da Silva, “Stoke 3 - 0 Macc Tel-Aviv”, in BBC Sport‎^[1]:

     With the Stoke supporters jeering Ziv's every subsequent touch, the pantomime atmosphere created by the home crowd reached a crescendo when Ziv was shown a straight red shortly after the break in extraordinary circumstances.

Usage notes

• The musical sense indicates that the figurative sense is an increase rather than the climax of the increase. The use of this word to mean the climax of an increase is nonstandard but commonplace.

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of “music”): decrescendo, diminuendo
• (antonym(s) of “the climax of a gradual increase”): climax, conclusion

Translations

music: instruction to play gradually more loudly

• Bulgarian: кресчендо (bg) (kresčendo)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 漸強 / 渐强 (zh) (jiànqiáng)

• Czech: crescendo n
• Finnish: crescendo (fi)
• Galician: crescendo (gl) m
• German: Crescendo (de) n
• Italian: crescendo (it) m
• Japanese: クレッシェンド (kuresshendo)
• Korean: 크레셴도 (keuresyendo)
• Latin: crēscēns (la)
• Macedonian: крешендо n (krešendo)
• Polish: crescendo (pl) n
• Portuguese: crescendo (pt) m
• Russian: креще́ндо (ru) n (kreščéndo)
• Serbo-Croatian:

  Cyrillic: крешендо n

  Latin: krešendo (sh) n

• Spanish: crescendo (es) m
• Swedish: crescendo (sv) n

figuratively: gradual increase

• Finnish: kasvu (fi)
• French: aller crescendo (fr)
• Galician: crescendo (gl) m
• Italian: crescendo (it) m
• Japanese: 高まり (ja) (takamari)
• Latin: crēscēns (la)
• Polish: crescendo (pl) n
• Spanish: crescendo (es) m

climax of a gradual increase

• Finnish: huippu (fi)
• Japanese: 最高潮 (ja) (saikōchō)

The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Translations to be checked

• German: ^{(please verify)} Crescendo (de) n
• Hebrew: ^{(please verify)} קרשנדו (he)
• Korean: ^{(please verify)} 점강음 (jeomgang'eum)

Verb

crescendo (third-person singular simple present crescendoes or crescendos, present participle crescendoing, simple past and past participle crescendoed)

1. To increase in intensity; to reach or head for a crescendo.

   The band crescendoed and then suddenly went silent.

   • 2021 November 1, Haley Nahman, “I got a camera to spy on my cat – and it made me question everything about myself”, in The Guardian‎^[2]:

     And similarly, they are full of tricks: when the imagined stranger calls your name, the music crescendos romantically; when the video freezes on your laugh, it immediately desaturates the candid photo, making you look old-timey or famous or dead.

Adverb

crescendo (not comparable)

1. (music) Gradually increasing in force or loudness.

Anagrams

• conceders

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ˈkrɛʃɛndo]

Noun

crescendo n

1. (music) crescendo

Declension

Declension of crescendo (hard neuter)

	singular	plural
nominative	crescendo	crescenda
genitive	crescenda	crescend
dative	crescendu	crescendům
accusative	crescendo	crescenda
vocative	crescendo	crescenda
locative	crescendu	crescendech
instrumental	crescendem	crescendy

Further reading

• “crescendo”, in Příruční slovník jazyka českého (in Czech), 1935–1957
• “crescendo”, in Slovník spisovného jazyka českého (in Czech), 1960–1971, 1989
• “crescendo”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2026

Finnish

Etymology

From Italian crescendo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈkreʃendo/, [ˈkre̞ʃe̞ndo̞]
• Rhymes: -eʃendo

Noun

crescendo

1. crescendo (instruction to play gradually more loudly)
2. (rare) crescendo (gradual increase, especially to a dramatic climax)

Declension

Inflection of crescendo (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)
nominative		crescendo	crescendot
genitive		crescendon	crescendojen
partitive		crescendoa	crescendoja
illative		crescendoon	crescendoihin
		singular	plural
nominative		crescendo	crescendot
accusative	nom.	crescendo	crescendot
	gen.	crescendon
genitive		crescendon	crescendojen
partitive		crescendoa	crescendoja
inessive		crescendossa	crescendoissa
elative		crescendosta	crescendoista
illative		crescendoon	crescendoihin
adessive		crescendolla	crescendoilla
ablative		crescendolta	crescendoilta
allative		crescendolle	crescendoille
essive		crescendona	crescendoina
translative		crescendoksi	crescendoiksi
abessive		crescendotta	crescendoitta
instructive		—	crescendoin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of crescendo (Kotus type 1/valo, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative crescendoni crescendoni accusative nom. crescendoni crescendoni gen. crescendoni genitive crescendoni crescendojeni partitive crescendoani crescendojani inessive crescendossani crescendoissani elative crescendostani crescendoistani illative crescendooni crescendoihini adessive crescendollani crescendoillani ablative crescendoltani crescendoiltani allative crescendolleni crescendoilleni essive crescendonani crescendoinani translative crescendokseni crescendoikseni abessive crescendottani crescendoittani instructive — — comitative — crescendoineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative crescendosi crescendosi accusative nom. crescendosi crescendosi gen. crescendosi genitive crescendosi crescendojesi partitive crescendoasi crescendojasi inessive crescendossasi crescendoissasi elative crescendostasi crescendoistasi illative crescendoosi crescendoihisi adessive crescendollasi crescendoillasi ablative crescendoltasi crescendoiltasi allative crescendollesi crescendoillesi essive crescendonasi crescendoinasi translative crescendoksesi crescendoiksesi abessive crescendottasi crescendoittasi instructive — — comitative — crescendoinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative crescendomme crescendomme accusative nom. crescendomme crescendomme gen. crescendomme genitive crescendomme crescendojemme partitive crescendoamme crescendojamme inessive crescendossamme crescendoissamme elative crescendostamme crescendoistamme illative crescendoomme crescendoihimme adessive crescendollamme crescendoillamme ablative crescendoltamme crescendoiltamme allative crescendollemme crescendoillemme essive crescendonamme crescendoinamme translative crescendoksemme crescendoiksemme abessive crescendottamme crescendoittamme instructive — — comitative — crescendoinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative crescendonne crescendonne accusative nom. crescendonne crescendonne gen. crescendonne genitive crescendonne crescendojenne partitive crescendoanne crescendojanne inessive crescendossanne crescendoissanne elative crescendostanne crescendoistanne illative crescendoonne crescendoihinne adessive crescendollanne crescendoillanne ablative crescendoltanne crescendoiltanne allative crescendollenne crescendoillenne essive crescendonanne crescendoinanne translative crescendoksenne crescendoiksenne abessive crescendottanne crescendoittanne instructive — — comitative — crescendoinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative crescendonsa crescendonsa accusative nom. crescendonsa crescendonsa gen. crescendonsa genitive crescendonsa crescendojensa partitive crescendoaan crescendoansa crescendojaan crescendojansa inessive crescendossaan crescendossansa crescendoissaan crescendoissansa elative crescendostaan crescendostansa crescendoistaan crescendoistansa illative crescendoonsa crescendoihinsa adessive crescendollaan crescendollansa crescendoillaan crescendoillansa ablative crescendoltaan crescendoltansa crescendoiltaan crescendoiltansa allative crescendolleen crescendollensa crescendoilleen crescendoillensa essive crescendonaan crescendonansa crescendoinaan crescendoinansa translative crescendokseen crescendoksensa crescendoikseen crescendoiksensa abessive crescendottaan crescendottansa crescendoittaan crescendoittansa instructive — — comitative — crescendoineen crescendoinensa

Further reading

• “crescendo”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[3] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2 July 2023

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian crescendo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kʁe.ʃɛn.do/, (less common) /kʁɛ.ʃɛn.do/

• Audio (France (Toulouse)):

  (file)

• Audio (Canada (Shawinigan)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Vosges)):

  (file)

• Audio (France (Lyon)):

  (file)

Adverb

crescendo

1. (music) crescendo

Noun

crescendo m (plural crescendos)

1. (music) crescendo
2. (figurative) gradual increase, crescendo

   un crescendo de difficulté ― a crescendo of difficulty

Further reading

• “crescendo”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012

Indonesian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Italian crescendo, from Latin crēscendum (“increasing, growing”), gerund of crēscō.

Adverb

crescendo

1. (music) crescendo: An instruction to play gradually more loudly, denoted by a long, narrow angle with its apex on the left ( < )

Further reading

• “crescendo”, in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia [Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language] (in Indonesian), Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016

Italian

Etymology

From Latin crēscendum (“increasing, growing”), gerund of crēscō.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kreʃˈʃɛn.do/
• Rhymes: -ɛndo
• Hyphenation: cre‧scèn‧do

Verb

crescendo

1. gerund of crescere

Noun

crescendo m (invariable)

1. (music) crescendo (instruction to play gradually more loudly)
2. (figurative) crescendo (gradual increase)

Descendants

• → English: crescendo
• → Spanish: crescendo

Further reading

• crescendo in Treccani.it – Vocabolario Treccani on line, Istituto dell'Enciclopedia Italiana

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [kreːsˈkɛn.doː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [kreʃˈʃɛn.do]

Participle

crēscendō

1. dative/ablative masculine/neuter singular of crēscendus

Polish

Etymology

Etymology tree

Italian crescendoubor.

Polish crescendo

Unadapted borrowing from Italian crescendo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /krɛˈʂɛn.dɔ/
• Rhymes: -ɛndɔ
• Syllabification: cre‧scen‧do

Noun

crescendo n (indeclinable)

1. (music) crescendo (instruction to play gradually more loudly, denoted by a long, narrow angle with its apex on the left ( < ), by musicians called a hairpin)

   Antonyms: decrescendo, diminuendo

2. (figurative) crescendo (gradual increase of anything, especially to a dramatic climax)

   Antonyms: decrescendo, diminuendo

Declension

Declension of crescendo

	singular	plural
nominative	crescendo	crescenda
genitive	crescenda	crescend
dative	crescendu	crescendom
accusative	crescendo	crescenda
instrumental	crescendem	crescendami
locative	crescendzie	crescendach
vocative	crescendo	crescenda

or

Indeclinable.

Adverb

crescendo (not comparable)

1. (music) crescendo (gradually increasing in force or loudness)

   Antonyms: decrescendo, diminuendo

2. (figurative) crescendo (gradually increasing in force or intensity)

   Antonyms: decrescendo, diminuendo

Further reading

• “crescendo I”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎^[4] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• “crescendo II”, in Wielki słownik języka polskiego‎^[5] (in Polish), Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
• “crescendo”, in Polish dictionaries at PWN‎^[6] (in Polish)
• crescendo in PWN's encyclopedia

Portuguese

Pronunciation

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): (careful pronunciation) /kɾɨʃˈsẽ.du/, /kɾɨˈʃẽ.du/

Noun

crescendo m (plural crescendos)

1. (music) crescendo (music to be play gradually more loudly)

Verb

crescendo

1. gerund of crescer; "growing"

Further reading

• “crescendo”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “crescendo”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Romanian

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Italian crescendo.

Adverb

crescendo

1. crescendo

Noun

crescendo n (plural crescendouri)

1. crescendo

Declension

	singular		plural
	indefinite	definite	indefinite	definite
nominative-accusative	crescendo	crescendoul	crescendouri	crescendourile
genitive-dative	crescendo	crescendoului	crescendouri	crescendourilor
vocative	crescendoule		crescendourilor

Spanish

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Italian crescendo.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kɾeˈʃendo/ [kɾeˈʃẽn̪.d̪o]
• IPA^(key): /kɾeˈt͡ʃendo/ [kɾeˈt͡ʃẽn̪.d̪o]
• Rhymes: -endo

Noun

crescendo m (plural crescendos)

1. crescendo

Usage notes

According to Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) prescriptions, unadapted foreign words should be written in italics in a text printed in roman type, and vice versa, and in quotation marks in a manuscript text or when italics are not available. In practice, this RAE prescription is not always followed.

Derived terms

• in crescendo

Further reading

• “crescendo”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Swedish

Noun

crescendo n

1. (music) crescendo

Declension

Declension of crescendo

		nominative	genitive
singular	indefinite	crescendo	crescendos
	definite	crescendot	crescendots
plural	indefinite	crescendon	crescendons
	definite	crescendona	crescendonas