canto

song

noun KAHN-toh Less Common

Origin: From Latin cantus, from canere (to sing).

Also means

singing

Usage Note

Canto is a masculine noun (il canto, plural i canti). It refers to singing as an art or activity (studiare il canto) and to a song or chant (canti popolari — folk songs). It also means a 'canto' in poetry (a section of a long poem, as in Dante's Divina Commedia). Do not confuse with canzone (a pop or lyric song) — canto is more formal and classical.

Examples

"Il canto degli uccelli mi sveglia ogni mattina."

Natural Translation

The birdsong wakes me every morning.

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