basso

[ bas-oh, bah-soh; Italian bahs-saw ]

/ ˈbæs oʊ, ˈbɑ soʊ; Italian ˈbɑs sɔ /

noun, plural bas·sos, Italian bas·si [bahs-see] /ˈbɑs si/. Music.

a person who sings bass; a bass.

Nearby words

basseterre, bassinet, bassini's operation, bassist, bassly, basso, basso cantante, basso continuo, basso profundo, basso rilievo, basso-relievo

Origin of basso

1810–20; < Italian < Late Latin bassus. See base²

Definition for basso (2 of 2)

Basso

[ bas-oh ]

/ ˈbæs oʊ /

noun

Hamilton,1904–64, U.S. journalist and novelist.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for basso

But for Basso (Super 8), keeping a straight face during these scenes was easier said then done.
‘The Kings of Summer’ Stars on Survival Skills, Girls, Becoming Men, and More|Anna Klassen|May 31, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Basso said Alleman had a genetic predisposition for cardiac problems, as both of his parents died of heart attacks in their 50s.
The Heart Attack Grill Lives Up to Its Name|David Frum|February 13, 2013|DAILY BEAST
"He lived a very full life," said Basso, who seemed shaken when reached by phone Monday evening.
The Heart Attack Grill Lives Up to Its Name|David Frum|February 13, 2013|DAILY BEAST
Basso recalled Alleman as a fun-loving man who loved the Heart Attack Grill.
The Heart Attack Grill Lives Up to Its Name|David Frum|February 13, 2013|DAILY BEAST

Dmitri had been a basso profundo singer, and to this day retains a commanding voice as well as a keen ear.
Reading Nabokov to Nabokov|Lila Azam Zanganeh|February 29, 2012|DAILY BEAST
The basso finished his air and the tenor sang another while the curtain was up.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. 17, No. 97, January, 1876|Various
He joined the singing-class there, for his voice had suddenly grown harsh and deep, and he conceived himself to be a basso.
Despair's Last Journey|David Christie Murray
Soon the score was practically tied: there were shrill entreaties, basso curses, a storm of indiscriminate insults.
San Cristbal de la Habana|Joseph Hergesheimer
The basso was explaining the manner in which Malibran gave the air they were practicing.
Great Singers, Second Series|George T. Ferris
This tableau lasted nearly two minutes, with the most complete steadiness, the basso singing an aria.
Lippincott's Magazine of Popular Literature and Science, Vol. 17, No. 97, January, 1876|Various

British Dictionary definitions for basso

basso

/ (ˈbæsəʊ) /

noun plural -sos or -si (-sɪ)

(esp in operatic or solo singing) a singer with a bass voice

Word Origin for basso

C19: from Italian, from Late Latin bassus low; see base ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012