falsetto

[ fawl-set-oh ]

noun

, plural fal·set·tos.

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.

adjective

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

adverb

1. in a falsetto.

falsetto

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of falsetto¹

1765–75; < Italian, equivalent to fals ( o ) (< Latin falsus false ) + -etto -et

Word History and Origins

Origin of falsetto¹

C18: from Italian, from falso false

Example Sentences

One section that gets the blood pumping more than any other is the second half of the chorus, in which the low-toned voices of rappers singing “baby hold on” are woven together with vocalists’ light falsettos in a dynamic contrast of vocal timbres.

From Time

You might laugh at first at his ridiculous falsetto, and then you might blast the song 20 times in a row due to its relentless exuberance.

From Time

While many of IU’s tracks are sung in a weightier fashion, her singing here is airy and delicate —whether in the soft falsetto or the whispery ooh’s that fill the post-chorus.

From Time

He made his first digital splashes back in 2011 as a mystery man, refusing to assign a name or face to his voice — a floating, yearning falsetto that sounded like it was trying to escape the loneliness of living inside the body that had produced it.

From Washington Post

Fans of Earth, Wind & Fire need only hear a few notes of Philip Bailey’s iconic falsetto before they start to swoon, sway and sing along.

From Essence.com

They wrote big songs with big falsetto choruses designed for big sing-alongs in big stadiums.

From The Daily Beast

And he starts to sing it, filling the room with his sweet, fragile tenor, shifting to a falsetto that cuts straight to the heart.

From The Daily Beast

Unlike his falsetto and his "cool dad" penchant for fedoras, this rumored affair is just so not cute.

From The Daily Beast

His three-octave falsetto was also used to good advantage in Mars Attacks!

From The Daily Beast

That high falsetto is frighteningly convincing, which raises the question: could a man really have pulled it off?

From The Daily Beast

"Well, if it ain't ole Turkeyneck in person," he called in a high falsetto voice, as the two entered.

From Project Gutenberg

At last his companion had got into the habit of looking up at him whenever he cried in a falsetto voice, "Mignonne."

From Project Gutenberg

The trolley-wire, lifting a whole city home to supper, is a giant with a falsetto voice.

From Project Gutenberg

After the squalling falsetto had implored for a long time, the assailant at last gave over the exercise.

From Project Gutenberg

The employment of the Falsetto at any time, either in speaking or reading, is of doubtful taste.

From Project Gutenberg