staccato explained
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A short, detached style of playing in which notes are separated by silences
Staccato (from the Italian staccare, to detach) shortens each note to roughly half its written value, filling the remaining time with silence. The notation is a dot placed above or below the note. Staccato playing requires precise control of the attack and release on every instrument. Different styles of staccato exist: light finger staccato, wrist staccato, and arm staccato on piano; spiccato, sautillé, and ricochet on strings. The character can range from playful lightness to sharp aggression depending on context.
Mendelssohn's Scherzo from A Midsummer Night's Dream requires a gossamer staccato so light and fast that it imitates the darting of fairies.