cello

¹ American  

[chel-oh] / ˈtʃɛl oʊ /

noun

cellos plural

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

Derived Forms

• cellist
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• cellos
  plural

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

See Examples For:

cello cellos

The score took roughly six months to craft and involved the creation of new tools to build the earthy and whimsical sounds, including a cello based on Mongolian string instruments.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026

Their songs weave in Irish lilting, set against a lively mix of drums, fiddles, flutes, harps, banjos, cello and concertina - skills honed over years of playing house parties, pub céilís and traditional festivals.

From BBC ● May 16, 2026

Diana Burgess adds cello on the delicate “Round Corral” track.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 2, 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

In this ten-note example from Corelli, all the keyboard player has in front of him or her is the bass line notes, borrowed from the cello player, and those extra numbers above it.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall

Salonen paid tribute to Knussen with “Arabesques for Olly,” a haunting duet for cellos.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

She has created both a three-day “Jazz String Summit” in Chicago and a 15-piece Stringtet, of mostly violins, violas, cellos and basses.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 27, 2026

Phil DNA remains Mehta-ized hefty cellos and basses, heart-racing brass and upper-range wind fireworks.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 11, 2025

They come out twice, for Viva La Vida and feelslikeimfallinginlove, twirling their cellos and jumping up and down as they provide the stirring string accompaniment.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2025

Doc heard music in his head—violas and cellos, he thought.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck