vibrato

American  

[vi-brah-toh, vahy-] / vɪˈbrɑ toʊ, vaɪ- /

noun

Music.

plural

vibratos

1. a pulsating effect, produced in singing by the rapid reiteration of emphasis on a tone, and on bowed instruments by a rapid change of pitch corresponding to the vocal tremolo.

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vibrato British  

/ vɪˈbrɑːtəʊ /

noun

1. a slight, rapid, and regular fluctuation in the pitch of a note produced on a stringed instrument by a shaking movement of the hand stopping the strings

2. an oscillatory effect produced in singing by fluctuation in breath pressure or pitch

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Etymology

Origin of vibrato

1860–65; < Italian < Latin vibrātus (past participle); see vibrate

Compare meaning

How does vibrato compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• vibrato vs. tremolo

Explanation

You are hearing vibrato in a singer's voice when the pitch wavers up and down, slightly above or below the note being sung. This usually happens when the singer pauses on a note, but not necessarily every time. The Italian word vibrato looks like it's related to the English word vibrate, and it is! Vibration is a movement back and forth, and vibrato is a kind of back-and-forth alteration in the pitch produced by the voice. It's common and very pronounced in operatic singing, but in some styles of singing it's virtually absent. The same effect can be produced by certain instruments. Electric organs usually have a switch for optionally turning on the vibrato.

Example Sentences

Stewart’s wild, shivering vibrato sliced through layers of fiddle and pedal steel, eventually grabbing the attention of Nashville bigwigs, including Roy Dea, a Texas-born record producer who would become one of Stewart’s loyal supporters.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 27, 2026

A fast vibrato at first was her only hint of frailty.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 2, 2025

After months of painful practice, he learned a new style of playing – using his two good fingers to lay down chords, and adding vibrato to thicken the sound.

From BBC • Jul. 23, 2025

The pair cherrypicked from the two models, and made alterations to things like vibrato speed, or slowing and relaxing phrases.

From Seattle Times • May 6, 2024

Then he settled down into hymns that liked a trembling vibrato.

From "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" by Gary D. Schmidt