ac·ciac·ca·tu·ra  (ä-chä ′k ə-t r ə)
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n. Music An ornament note that is one half step or one whole step higher or lower than a principal note and is sounded at the same time as the principal note, adding dissonance to a harmony.
[Italian, a crushing, acciaccatura, from acciaccare, to crush, weaken, from acciacco, ailment, from Spanish achaque, ailment, defect, excuse, from achacar, to blame, from Arabic al-šakwa, the complaint : al-, the + šakwa, complaint, grievance (from šakā, to complain, suffer).]  (click for a larger image) acciaccaturaleft: C note without acciaccatura bottom: C note with acciaccatura |