intermezzo

Borrowed from Italian intermezzo. Doublet of intermede and intermedium

• Audio (US):

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• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ɪntəˈmɛtsəʊ/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ɪntɚˈmɛtsoʊ/
• (Italian-like) IPA^(key): /ɪntɛɹˈmɛdzoʊ/

Note: Despite being fully assimilated into English phonology by most English speakers, others maintain its Italian pronunciation.

intermezzo (plural intermezzos or intermezzi)

1. (music, art) A short piece of music or act in the interval of the main spectacle; a theatrical interlude.
   • 1969, Vladimir Nabokov, Ada or Ardor, Penguin, published 2011, page 8:

     She had ample time, too, to change for the next scene, which started with a longish intermezzo staged by a ballet company whose services Scotty had engaged [...].

2. (food) A palate cleanser; a small snack with a bright light neutral taste; a fruit; a fresh sparkling wine; or a fruity or milky cocktail; that is served between courses in a meal.^[1][2][3]
3. (chess) A tactical move which interrupts the execution of the current plan.

• intermezzo-like

• interlude
• zwischenzug
• tenuki

Italian intermezzo

• IPA^(key): /ˈintermetso/, [ˈin̪t̪e̞rˌme̞ts̠o̞]
• Rhymes: -etso
• Syllabification^(key): in‧ter‧mez‧zo
• Hyphenation^(key): in‧ter‧mez‧zo

intermezzo

1. (architecture) intermezzo

• IPA^(key): /in.terˈmɛd.d͡zo/
• Rhymes: -ɛddzo
• Hyphenation: in‧ter‧mèz‧zo

From inter- (“between”) +‎ mezzo (“half”) (between halves).

intermezzo m (plural intermezzi)

1. intermezzo
2. interval, break

   Synonyms: pausa, intervallo

• → English: intermezzo
• → Polish: intermezzo
• → Romanian: intermezzo

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

intermezzo

1. first-person singular present indicative of intermezzare

Unadapted borrowing from Italian intermezzo. Doublet of intermedium.

• IPA^(key): /in.tɛrˈmɛt͡s.t͡sɔ/, /in.tɛrˈmɛd͡z.d͡zɔ/

• Audio 1:

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• Audio 2:

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• Rhymes: -ɛt͡st͡sɔ, -ɛd͡zd͡zɔ
• Syllabification: in‧ter‧mez‧zo

intermezzo n

1. (music, opera) intermezzo (short piece of music or act in the interval of the main spectacle)

   Synonyms: interludium, intermedium, wstawka

2. (historical, music, opera) intermezzo (musical and dramatic interlude of a comic character, performed in the antracts of Italian opera in the 17th–18th centuries)

• intermezzo in Polish dictionaries at PWN

Unadapted borrowing from Italian intermezzo. Doublet of intermediu.

intermezzo n (plural intermezzouri)

1. intermezzo