rondo

Where does the word "rondo" come from? It comes from French rondeau, passing through Italian before entering English (1750s).

Rondo’s story begins in French: rondeau meant “a round, a repeating form.” A poetic and musical form built around a repeating refrain. By 1700s, the word had taken hold in Italian as rondo. From the French medieval 'rondeau', a round dance; Mozart's 'Rondo alla Turca' is famous. It reached English by 1750s as rondo. Settled as the English word for the musical form. Today, rondo means a musical form in which a main theme alternates with contrasting sections.

1. Stage 1 · French · medieval rondeau "a round, a repeating form", a poetic and musical form built around a repeating refrain.
2. Stage 2 · Italian · 1700s rondo "a musical form with a recurring main theme", from the French medieval 'rondeau', a round dance; Mozart's 'Rondo alla Turca' is famous.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1750s rondo "a musical form with a recurring main theme", settled as the English word for the musical form.