cello

¹ American  

[chel-oh] / ˈtʃɛl oʊ /

noun

plural

cellos

1. the second largest member of the violin family, rested vertically on the floor between the performer's knees when being played.

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cello ² American  

[sel-oh] / ˈsɛl oʊ /

noun

Informal.

1. cellophane.

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cello British  

/ ˈtʃɛləʊ /

noun

1. Full name: violoncello.  music a bowed stringed instrument of the violin family. Range: more than four octaves upwards from C below the bass staff. It has four strings, is held between the knees, and has an extendible metal spike at the lower end, which acts as a support

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cello Cultural  

1. An instrument in the violin family, known for its rich tone. Among the strings, or stringed instruments, the cello has the second-lowest range, higher only than the bass viol, and it has the lowest part in string quartets. Cellists hold the instrument between their knees to play it. Cello is short for violoncello.

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Other Word Forms

• cellist noun

Etymology

Origin of cello¹

First recorded in 1875–80; short for violoncello

Origin of cello²

By shortening

Explanation

A cello is a large, stringed musical instrument. A cellist has to sit in a chair to play a cello. One end of a cello rests on the floor as it's played, with the neck upright. The cellist forms notes with her fingers on the strings and pulls a bow across the body of the cello. Cellos are an important part of an orchestra, though they're often featured in contemporary popular music as well. The word is short for the Italian violincello, which ultimately comes from the Medieval Latin vitula, "stringed instrument."

Example Sentences

The sound of Ms. Reid’s cello resonates across a broad musical landscape.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026

Yet they are also deeply personal expressions of how Ms. Reid feels with a cello in her hands.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 27, 2026

“I wrote like two hours of cello music and then Alejandro — he’s the nicest person — he was like, ‘So, I have to tell you — I don’t think we need cello.’”

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 13, 2026

Her daughter Ye-won, a cello instructor, had just celebrated her birthday and was due to return from a short holiday in Bangkok.

From Barron's • Dec. 23, 2025

Then, in third grade, I’d wandered over to the cello in music class—it looked almost human to me.

From "If I Stay" by Gayle Forman