A musical direction meaning to perform with energy, vigor, and liveliness (Italian musical term used in English).
From Italian energico, derived from Latin energicus, from Greek energikos 'active, effective' (en- 'in' + ergon 'work'). Adopted directly into English musical vocabulary as musicians use Italian terminology.
When you see 'energico' in sheet music, you're reading Italian—it's one of thousands of Italian musical terms that colonized English and became so standard that English speakers forget they're speaking another language when conducting orchestras.
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