What is what does ritardando mean in music?

Ritardando is an Italian musical term that means gradually slowing down the tempo of the music. It is usually abbreviated as "rit." or "ritard." in musical scores. Ritardando is often used to create a sense of a musical climax or to emphasize a particular expression in a piece of music. It is also used to signal the end of a musical phrase or section. Ritardando is typically notated by a dashed line above the notes indicating the gradual deceleration of the tempo.