pian

n. [ Cf. Pie magpie. ] (Zool.) (a) The magpie. [ Written also pianate, and pyenate. ] (b) The lesser woodpecker. [ Obs. ] Bailey. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Dim. of piano. ] (Mus.) A small piano; a pianino. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ It., dim. of piano, adj. See Piano. ] (Mus.) A pianette, or small piano. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖a. [ It., superl. of piano. ] (Mus.) Very soft; -- a direction to execute a passage as softly as possible. (Abbrev. pp.) [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Cf. F. pianiste, It. pianista. ] A performer, esp. a skilled performer, on the piano. [ 1913 Webster ]

adj. Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of a pianist; as, pianistic abilities. [ WordNet 1.5 ]

‖a. & adv. [ It., even, smooth, soft, fr. L. planus even, level. ] (Mus.) Soft; -- a direction to the performer to execute a certain passage softly, and with diminished volume of tone. (Abbrev. p.) [ 1913 Webster ]

{ } n. [ It. piano soft (fr. L. planus even, smooth; see Plain, a.) + It. forte strong, fr. L. fortis (see Fort). ] (Mus.) A well-known musical instrument somewhat resembling the harpsichord, and consisting of a series of wires of graduated length, thickness, and tension, struck by hammers moved by keys. [ 1913 Webster ]

Dumb piano. See Digitorium. --
Grand piano. See under Grand. --
Square piano, one with a horizontal frame and an oblong case. --
Upright piano, one with an upright frame and vertical wires. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Piano + -graph. ] (Mus.) A form of melodiograph applied to a piano. [ 1913 Webster ]