a style of musical performance in which a group of notes is phrased as smoothly as possible, ie: does not permit even small pauses in between consecutive notes(also legatissimo: as legato as possible), used in classical music quite frequently.

Le*ga"to (?), a. [It., tied, joined, fr. legare to tie, bind, L. ligare.] Mus.

Connected; tied; -- a term used when successive tones are to be produced in a closely connected, smoothly gliding manner. It is often indicated by a tie, thus , , or , written over or under the notes to be so performed; -- opposed to staccato.

© Webster 1913.