cut time

"Cut time" is a musical term referring to duple or quadruple time where the beat is represented by a half note. It is also known as "alla breve". This time signature is indicated by a symbol that looks like a 'C' with a vertical line through it (\ud834\udd35).12

This is distinct from "two-four" time, which has two quarter notes or their equivalent per measure, indicated by the time signature 2/4. In simple time signatures like 2/4, the top number shows the beats per measure, and the bottom number indicates the note value that receives one beat.32