piccolo

American  

[pik-uh-loh] / ˈpɪk əˌloʊ /

noun

plural

piccolos

1. a small flute sounding an octave higher than the ordinary flute.

---

piccolo British  

/ ˈpɪkəˌləʊ /

noun

1. a woodwind instrument, the smallest member of the flute family, lying an octave above that of the flute See flute

---

piccolo Cultural  

1. A small, high-pitched flute.

---

Etymology

Origin of piccolo

1855–60; < Italian: literally, small

Explanation

Many orchestras include a piccolo, which is a small, high-pitched flute. The word piccolo is in the fairly extensive group of Italian words that designate musical instruments and other musical terms. A piccolo is a small flute that plays an octave higher than an ordinary one; the word comes, appropriately enough, from the Italian for "small," which is also piccolo.

Example Sentences

She holds her head high whether playing piccolo or the 6-foot contrabass flute, as if her instrument were a magic wand used to activate her voice in the highest registers and the deepest.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2025

Being selected is a testament to every band member who came before, said Claire Rhyu, a flute and piccolo player, and she’s still in disbelief.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 24, 2023

His father’s cousin, he said, played the saxophone and introduced him to the instrument; Mr. Press later added flute, clarinet, piccolo and others to his arsenal.

From New York Times • Oct. 28, 2022

A piccolo and a cello traced a line like a bead of sweat.

From Washington Post • Apr. 8, 2022

In a 1981 study, Griswold & Chroback found that the harp, flute, and piccolo had high feminine ratings; the trumpet, string bass, and tuba had high masculine ratings.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin