ukulele

American  

[yoo-kuh-ley-lee, oo-koo-ley-ley] / ˌyu kəˈleɪ li, ˌu kʊˈleɪ leɪ /

Or ukelele

noun

1. a small, guitarlike musical instrument associated chiefly with Hawaiian music.

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ukulele British  

/ ˌjuːkəˈleɪlɪ /

noun

1. a small four-stringed guitar, esp of Hawaii

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ukulele Cultural  

1. A small guitar, developed in Hawaii, with four strings.

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Etymology

Origin of ukulele

1895–1900, < Hawaiian ʿukulele leaping flea ( ʿuku flea + lele to jump, leap), a nickname given to British army officer Edward Purvis (who popularized the instrument at the court of King Kalakaua), in reference to his lively playing style

Example Sentences

The second before the ‘ukulele falls, Leo scoops it up. “

From Literature

He attended a selective public high school, wrote songs and played guitar, keyboards and ukulele.

From The Wall Street Journal

However, by the time he left the shop, he had bought a guitar, a ukulele and another piece of equipment.

From BBC

They hang out — George with a ukulele in his hands, noodling away — and talk old times.

From Los Angeles Times

I opened two of his shows playing ukulele.

From The Wall Street Journal