Dictionary

sotto voce en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /-tʃeɪ/ (US)
• /ˌsɑtoʊ ˈvoʊtʃi/ (US)
• (US) audio
• /ˌsɒtəʊ ˈvəʊtʃeɪ/ (UK)

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian sottovoce (literally “under [the] voice”).

Meanings

1. (not-comparable, of a voice, of speech, qualifier:etc) In soft tones; quiet.
   • ‘Hello?’ she shouted, but still her voice came out barely louder than a sotto voce whisper. 1985, Gary Russell, Divided Loyalties, page 38:
   • Then a man called for her, and began to make coarse jokes. But Mr. Pappleworth nodded his head in the direction of the boy, and the talk went on sotto voce. 1913, D. H. Lawrence, chapter 5, in Sons and Lovers:
   • The Boyz also regularly speak in sotto voce, mimicking the grave, hushed tones often adopted by nature/wildlife programming hosts. 2018, Nicole Seymour, Bad Environmentalism, page 89:
2. (not-comparable) Soft, instruments or voice.

Synonyms

sotto

sotto voce en · ADV

Pronunciation

• /-tʃeɪ/ (US)
• /ˌsɑtoʊ ˈvoʊtʃi/ (US)
• (US) audio
• /ˌsɒtəʊ ˈvəʊtʃeɪ/ (UK)

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian sottovoce (literally “under [the] voice”).

Meanings

1. (not-comparable, of a voice, of speech, qualifier:etc) Quietly.
   • "I am not your dear; I cannot lie down. Send me to school soon, Mrs. Reed, for I hate to live here." I will indeed send her to school soon," murmured Mrs. Reed sotto voce; and gathering up her work, she abruptly quitted the apartment. 1847 October 16, Currer Bell [pseudonym; Charlotte Brontë], Jane Eyre. […], volume (please specify |volume=I to III), London: Smith, Elder, and Co., […], →OCLC:
   • “Darling,” she says, “a working-class hero is something to be. “Of course,” she adds, sotto voce, “I wouldn’t know.” 2007 February 25, William Shaw, quoting Francesca Thyssen-Bornemisza, “We Are Not a Muse”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
2. (not-comparable) Sung or played softly, instruments or voice.

Synonyms

sotto

Translations (20)

kn ತಗ್ಗುದನಿಯಲ್ಲಿ (quietly (of speech)) · ru вполго́лоса (quietly (of speech)) · ru ти́хо (quietly (of speech)) · kn ಮೆತ್ತಗೆ (quietly (of speech)) · et poolel häälel (quietly (of speech)) · kn ತನ್ನಷ್ಟಕ್ಕೆ ತಾನೇ (quietly (of speech)) · pl półgłosem (quietly (of speech)) · et sosinal (quietly (of speech)) · ja 小さな声で (quietly (of speech)) · it sottovoce (quietly (of speech)) · kn ಮೆಲುದನಿಯಲ್ಲಿ (quietly (of speech)) · it piano (quietly (of speech)) · fr tout bas (quietly (of speech)) · es en voz baja (quietly (of speech)) · it a bassa voce (quietly (of speech)) · fr à mi-voix (quietly (of speech)) · eo duonvoĉe (quietly (of speech)) · ka ხმადაბლა (quietly (of speech)) · pl cicho (quietly (of speech)) · it sotto voce (quietly (of speech))

sotto voce en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /-tʃeɪ/ (US)
• /ˌsɑtoʊ ˈvoʊtʃi/ (US)
• (US) audio
• /ˌsɒtəʊ ˈvəʊtʃeɪ/ (UK)

Etymology

Borrowed from Italian sottovoce (literally “under [the] voice”).

Meanings

1. A direction in a score that a passage in a piece should be played softly, or sung in a low voice, when applied to vocal music.

Forms