APPOGGIATURA, a musical term for a melodic ornament, a grace-note prefixed to a principal note and printed in small character (from Ital. appoggiare, to lean upon). The effect is to shorten the principal note, by taking away the time-value of the appoggiatura prefixed to it. There are two kinds, the long appog giatura, now usually printed as played, and the short, where the suspension of the principal note is scarcely perceptible; the latter is now often called (not quite accurately) an acciaccatura (q.v.).