Definition of intermezzo in English:



  • 1A short connecting instrumental movement in an opera or other musical work.

    • ‘The middle movements, intermezzos both, are characterised by mellow string and woodwind playing.’
    • ‘It is worth remembering that intermezzos were never really supposed to contain the musical highlights of an evening.’
    • ‘The intermezzo from his frivolous opera Hary Janos is considered one of his most entertaining scores.’
    • ‘After about 1750 the intermezzo evolved further into opera buffa.’
    1. 1.1 A short piece of music for a solo instrument.
    2. 1.2 A light dramatic, musical, or other performance inserted between the acts of a play.
      • ‘Later, there was a tradition to have intermedi / intermezzi between the acts of a play (most notably in Florence).’


Late 18th century: from Italian, from Latin intermedium ‘interval’, neuter of intermedius (see intermediate).