falsetto

American  

[fawl-set-oh] / fɔlˈsɛt oʊ /

noun

• falsettos
  plural

1. an unnaturally or artificially high-pitched voice or register, especially in a man.

2. a person, especially a man, who sings with such a voice.

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adjective

1. of, noting, or having the quality and compass of such a voice.

adverb

1. in a falsetto.

falsetto British  

/ fɔːlˈsɛtəʊ /

noun

1. a form of vocal production used by male singers to extend their range upwards beyond its natural compass by limiting the vibration of the vocal cords

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• falsettos
  plural

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."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

falsetto falsettos

“I did that yesterday, when I was a kid,” he sings over hectic guitar strums, and his trilling digital falsetto, warped to maximize irritation, makes clear that those days are far behind him.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

Bettan delivers his song, a lovestruck ballad called Michelle, with sincerity and passion, nimbly moving into his falsetto over a mix of electronic beats and Middle Eastern instrumentation.

From BBC ● May 15, 2026

On “All Them Horses” Mr. Kahan ably channels Mr. Vernon’s falsetto howl on a song that uses a flood as a metaphor for personal transformation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026

Mangold has a showy falsetto that heightens Noah’s vulnerable longing, but the duets with Cheers’ Allie aren’t lyrically sophisticated enough to provide the relationship with much depth.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 9, 2026

She walked on, and a falsetto followed her—“Oh, Aron, I do love you so.”

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

Somewhat obscured at the time by the hairy chests and falsettos of their disco peak was the enduring brilliance of Gibb’s songwriting.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 22, 2023

The angelic falsettos of The Bee Gees – brothers Barry, Maurice and Robin Gibb – give us and the song a lift — especially when the word "Alive" is stretched out enough to touch Heaven.

From Salon ● Dec. 18, 2022

Sasfy added, “The style is clear — male passion and pain made real by exaggerated timing, breathless gasps, resounding basso profundo, swooping falsettos and nervous yelps.”

From Washington Post ● Oct. 22, 2022

For some, his voice might call to mind the falsettos of the Bee Gees; for others, the yelps of Atlanta rapper Young Thug.

From New York Times ● Oct. 25, 2021

The reply came in a chorus of trebles, pipings, quavers, and adolescent falsettos that caused the mayor to lift his hands to his forehead entreating silence.

From The Patient Observer And His Friends by Strunsky, Simeon

Related Words

• singer