leggiero

Leggiero is an Italian adjective meaning light in weight or delicate in character. In everyday language it can describe something described as light, soft, or gentle, and it shares a common root with the noun leggerezza, meaning lightness.

In music, leggiero is a frequent directive indicating a light, brisk, and graceful playing style. When used as a performance instruction, it calls for a touch that is light and agile, with clarity and a sense of buoyancy. Leggiero is often contrasted with heavier or more forceful markings such as marcato or fortissimo, but it does not specify a particular tempo; the underlying speed may vary, while the articulation remains light. It can appear as a tempo-like marking or as an expressive indication within a passage.

Variants of the term include leggerissimo, the superlative form meaning extremely light, and leggiERmente, the adverbial form meaning lightly. Composers may combine leggiero with other expressive marks (staccato, phrase marks, or dynamics) to shape the overall character of a passage.

While most commonly encountered in classical music notation, the concept of leggio or leggierezza also appears in broader Italian usage to describe a light touch or delicate style in other contexts, reflecting the broader meaning of lightness and refinement implicit in the term.