Dictionary
fer•ma•ta
Pronunciation: (fer-mä'tu; It.fer-mä'tä), [key]—
n.,
—pl. -tas, It. -tePronunciation: (-te). [key]
Music.
1. the sustaining of a note, chord, or rest for a duration longer than the indicated time value, with the length of the extension at the performer's discretion.
2. a symbol placed over a note, chord, or rest indicating a fermata.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.