bass viol

American  

[beys] / beɪs /

noun

1. viola da gamba.

2. double bass.

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bass viol British  

/ beɪs /

noun

1. another name for viola da gamba

2. a less common name for double bass

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bass viol Cultural  

1. The largest and lowest-pitched instrument of the strings, also called a bass fiddle or double bass. The player must stand or sit on a tall stool to play it.

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Etymology

Origin of bass viol

First recorded in 1580–90

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

bass viol

In Domenichino’s version, at the Louvre, she is playing “a cantata to the Glory of Saint Cecilia” on the bass viol, which seems like kind of a lot.

From Slate ● May 28, 2020

Most of the pieces sung by Davies were arranged for viol consort by Richard Boothby, co-founder of Fretwork and one of its bass viol players.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 17, 2019

His voice is superb, of course, as mellow and true as a bass viol; at 60, he sounds just as good as he did 20 or 30 years ago.

From Time Magazine Archive

Early in its history the late motor magnate William S. Knudsen, who liked to relax with his Scandinavian friends, gave them a bass viol.

From Time Magazine Archive

As the years went by and there were children to feed, his preaching did not bring half the money they needed, so he taught school, his wife took boarders, and he—even—sold—his—beloved bass viol.

From The Child's Book of American Biography by Mary Stoyell Stimpson