Cello

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈtʃɛləʊ/

Definitions

1. A sizable string instrument, held upright and played with a bow, known for its warm tone and role in classical and orchestral music
2. An instrument of the violin family, larger than a violin and producing deeper sounds, often featured in ensembles and solo performances
3. A large stringed instrument from the violin family, distinguished by its deep, rich tones and played with a bow while typically seated

Etymology: The name of this bowed instrument is a shortened form of "violoncello," and the longer name carries a hidden joke about size. Italian "violone" meant "big viola," an augmentative built from "viola" with the suffix "-one," and it was applied to an early form of the double bass. Adding the diminutive suffix "-cello" to "violone" then produced "violoncello," literally "little violone," a name that sounds backwards for an instrument that is anything but small. Over time English speakers trimmed the long Italian name down to "cello," which is the form used today. The shortening is one of the more common patterns in musical vocabulary, where a long Italian term is worn down in everyday speech.

Synonyms: violoncello