Plural of fermata; in music, a notation indicating that a note or rest should be held longer than its normal value, determined by the performer.
From Italian 'fermata,' derived from Latin 'firmare' (to stop, to make firm). The musical term entered English from Italian during the Renaissance when musical notation was being standardized.
When a composer puts a 'fermata' over a note, they're essentially saying 'pause here and create time'—it's one of the few ways composers can break the strict mathematical grid of musical time.
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