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allegro

cheerful

adjective ahl-LEH-groh Rare
Mind & Emotions Emotions

Origin: From Latin alacer ('lively, brisk').

Also means

lively

Usage Note

Allegro in everyday Italian means cheerful or merry — a perfectly ordinary adjective for a person or mood. It is also the internationally borrowed musical tempo marking for a fast, lively passage. A false-friend risk: in English 'allegro' is purely a musical term, but in Italian it is first and foremost an everyday descriptor. The adverb is allegramente; the noun allegria means joy or merriment.

Examples

"I bambini erano allegri e pieni di energia."

Natural Translation

The children were cheerful and full of energy.

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