suonato

Suonato is the past participle of the Italian verb suonare, meaning to play a musical instrument or to sound. In ordinary use, suonato can function as part of verb tenses (for example in compound forms with avere) and as an adjective describing something that has been played or performed. As an adjective, it agrees with the noun it modifies, for instance una chitarra suonata (a played guitar) or strumenti suonati (played instruments).

Etymology traces suonato to the Latin verb sonare, meaning to sound, with the Italian suffix -ato forming the past participle. The root son- is related to the common Indo-European word for sound, which also appears in related languages.

Usage in Italian is common in music criticism, event programs, and descriptions of performances. It denotes that a piece, instrument, or note has been performed or produced by someone. Examples include un pezzo suonato dal clarinettista (a piece played by the clarinetist), la campana suonata (the bell that was tolled), or note suonate (played notes). In practice, suonato is often used to distinguish performed or sonically produced items from those that are unplayed or unperformed.

In grammar, suonato is the masculine singular past participle; it can appear in plural forms as suonati and in feminine forms as suonata or suonate, depending on the noun it modifies. It is closely related to other Italian terms for sound and performance, such as suono and suonare, and it forms a bridge between instrumental action and its audible result.