Webster's English Dictionary

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piano

1. pi.a.no \pe--'a:n-(.)o-\ av(or aj) [It, fr. LL planus smooth, fr. L, 
   level - more at FLOOR] : SOFTLY, QUIETLY - used as a direction in music 
2. pi.ano \pe--'an-(.)o-, -*(-w) also -'a:n-\ n [It, short for pianoforte, 
   fr. piano e forte soft and strong; fr. t]he fact that its tones could be 
   softer or stronger than those of the spinet : a stringed percussion 
   instrument having steel wire strings that sound wh en struck by 
   felt-covered hammers operated from a keyboard