ukulele
or u·ke·le·le
[ yoo-kuh-ley-lee; Hawaiian oo-koo-ley-ley ]
/ ˌyu kəˈleɪ li; Hawaiian ˌu kʊˈleɪ leɪ /
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noun
a small, guitarlike musical instrument associated chiefly with Hawaiian music.
QUIZZES
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Question 1 of 7
Let’s start with some etymology: What are the origins of the typographical word “bracket”?
First appeared around 1750, and is related to the French word “braguette” for the name of codpiece armor.
First appeared in 1610, based on the French word “baguette” for the long loaf of bread.
First appeared in 1555, and is related to the French word “raquette” for a netted bat.
TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT Origin of ukulele
1895–1900, Americanism;<Hawaiian ʿukulele leaping flea (ʿuku flea + lele to jump, leap), a nickname given to British army officer Edward Purvis (who popularized the instrument at the court of King Kalakaua), in reference to his lively playing style
Words nearby ukulele
ukiyo-e, UK Overseas Territory, Ukr., Ukraine, Ukrainian, ukulele, UL, ʿulama, ulan, Ulan Bator, Ulanova
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for ukulele
British Dictionary definitions for ukulele
ukulele
ukelele
/ (ˌjuːkəˈleɪlɪ) /
noun
a small four-stringed guitar, esp of Hawaii
Word Origin for ukulele
C19: from Hawaiian, literally: jumping flea, from `uku flea + lele jumping
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Cultural definitions for ukulele
The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.