Sopranini

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A type of small soprano voice or vocal part, typically associated with young singers or children's choirs
2. A designation used for higher-range instruments that can play in the soprano pitch register
3. Referring to a specific singing style characterized by light and agile vocal techniques often found in operatic performances

Etymology: "Sopranino" is the form used for the highest soprano voice, and the plural "sopranini" is simply the Italian-style plural of that noun. Its base is Italian "soprano," which gives English its word for the highest female or boy's voice, and the ending "-ino" is an Italian diminutive, so the whole word means something like "little soprano." Music often borrows Italian in this way, adding diminutives to name smaller or higher instruments and voices. The plural "sopranini" keeps the Italian pattern of changing "-o" to "-i" for more than one. English speakers sometimes write "sopraninos" instead, though the Italian-derived plural is the one that appears in musical contexts.