Webster's English Dictionary

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portamento

por.ta.men.to \.po-rt-*-'men-(.)to-, .po.rt-\ \-(.)te-\ n or portamenti 
   [It, lit., act of carrying, fr. portare to carry, fr. L] pl  : a continuous 
   glide effected by the voice, a trombone, or a bowed stringe d musical 
   instrument in passing from one tone to another