falsetto

American  

[fawl-set-oh] / fɔlˈsɛt oʊ /

noun

plural

falsettos

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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Etymology

Origin of falsetto

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

Example Sentences

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

Singing in a delicate falsetto, his voice conveys some of the frailty of age, lending the song a powerful emotional punch.

From BBC

A bit of tinkering – stripping the original’s heavy bassline, tossing in his lithe falsetto and a playful guitar to hold everything aloft – made the one-time throwaway into something immortal.

From Salon

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

As it unfolds, Mr. Ellis’s voice effortlessly slides between registers, conveying shifts in emphasis by judicious use of falsetto, which is often layered via multitrack.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• singer