Added 9 October 2026

tempo

/ˈtɛm.pəʊ/ noun

Latin root: tempus Wiktionary

noun Definition from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about tempo at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

A frequency or rate.
10 calls per hour isn't a bad start, but we'll need to up the tempo if we want to reach our target of selling insurance policies.
A move which is part of one's own plan or strategy and forces, e.g. by means of a check or attacking a piece, the opponent to make a move which is not bad but of no use (the player gains a tempo, the opponent loses a tempo), or equivalently a player achieves the same result in fewer moves by one approach rather than another.
The timing advantage of being on lead, thus being first to initiate a strategy to develop tricks for one's side.

Borrowed from Italian tempo, from Latin tempus (“time”). Doublet of tense. (truck or cargo van): A genericized trademark, originally associated with the manufacturer Vidal & Sohn Tempo-Werke GmbH.