falsetto
Americannoun
-
an unnaturally or artificially high-pitched voice or register, especially in a man.
-
a person, especially a man, who sings with such a voice.
adjective
adverb
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of falsetto
1765–75; < Italian, equivalent to fals ( o ) (< Latin falsus false ) + -etto -et
Explanation
Falsetto is a male singing voice that's unusually high. It's a voice so high it sounds false. A guy singing a mean falsetto could break a wine glass! Falsetto is a musical term for a male voice that's artificially high. Falsetto means “artificial voice” and comes from the Italian word falso for “false.” When men suddenly sing way up high above their speaking voices, it can sound almost fake. This word can also be used as an adjective — you could say he's a falsetto singer or a certain part should be sung with a falsetto voice. When you see the word falsetto, think "high voice."
Vocabulary lists containing falsetto
The Catcher in the Rye
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Music - Middle School
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The Sea of Monsters
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Launched in an era where machismo meant a goofy wrestler or metal singer with an eight-octave falsetto, the steroidal beskirted barbarian has always been a bit ridiculous.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026
“Wonderful” extends the gospel feel and includes Chubby’s powerful falsetto.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 25, 2026
But they hit their stride with 2022’s “The Death of Peace of Mind,” which melded a Weeknd-worthy R&B falsetto with rotted, churning guitars and tasteful electronics.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026
Singing in a delicate falsetto, his voice conveys some of the frailty of age, lending the song a powerful emotional punch.
From BBC • Mar. 26, 2026
The door opens, and as he disappears into the hallway and pulls it shut, I hear Freddie’s forlorn falsetto float into the air.
From "Odd One Out" by Nic Stone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
