battito

Battito is an Italian noun meaning beat, heartbeat, or pulse. It derives from the verb battere, to strike or hit, and is used to signify the action or result of beating in various contexts.

In everyday language, battito most commonly refers to the heart’s activity. Phrases like battito cardiaco or battito del cuore denote the heartbeat, and one can talk about the battito a certe condizioni (a heartbeat under certain conditions) or quantify it as bpm (battiti per minuto). The term also appears in more general expressions describing a pulsation or rhythm felt in a person, object, or phenomenon.

In music, battito denotes the musical beat or pulse that organizes time in a composition. It can refer to the regular pulsation listeners perceive or count, and it is closely related to tempo and ritmo. While tempo focuses on speed, battito emphasizes the rhythmic pulse that drivers the performance, conductors, dancers, and players often align with.

Beyond living beings and music, battito can describe any application of beating or rhythmic motion, such as the beating of wings (battito d’ali) or other repetitive, drum-like actions. It is less common to encounter battito as a technical term outside these contexts, but it remains a general word for a pulse or striking rhythm in Italian usage.

See also: battuta (in musical or rhythmic context), cuore (heart) and battito cardiaco.