sordino

[sawr-dee-noh; Italian sawr-dee-naw] /sɔrˈdi noʊ; Italian sɔrˈdi nɔ/
noun, plural sordini
[sawr-dee-nee; Italian sawr-dee-nee] /sɔrˈdi ni; Italian sɔrˈdi ni/ (Show IPA). Music.
1.
mute (def 10).
Origin
1795-1805; < Italian: a mute, equivalent to sordo (< Latin surdus deaf) + -ino -ine1
British Dictionary definitions for sordino

sordino

/sɔːˈdiːnəʊ/
noun (pl) -ni (-niː)
1.
a mute for a stringed or brass musical instrument
2.
any of the dampers that arrest the vibrations of piano strings
3.
con sordino, con sordini, a musical direction to play with a mute
4.
senza sordino, senza sordini, a musical direction to remove or play without the mute or (on the piano) with the sustaining pedal pressed down
See also sourdine
Word Origin
Italian: from sordo deaf, from Latin surdus