pizzicato
A technique where strings are plucked with the fingers instead of bowed.
In Depth
Pizzicato (abbreviated pizz.) instructs string players to pluck the strings with their fingers rather than using the bow. The resulting sound is short, percussive, and quite different from the sustained, singing tone of bowed playing. Pizzicato passages add rhythmic energy and textural variety to string writing.
There are several types of pizzicato beyond the basic technique. Left-hand pizzicato, indicated by a plus sign, allows the player to pluck with the fretting hand while continuing to bow. Bartók pizzicato (snap pizzicato) involves pulling the string vertically and releasing it so it snaps against the fingerboard with a sharp crack. The pizzicato movement from Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 is performed entirely without bows.
The entire fourth movement of Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 4 is played pizzicato by the strings — every single note is plucked, not bowed. The effect is both playful and eerie.