viola d'amore

[vee-oh-luh dah-mawr-ey, -mohr-ey, -duh-]

noun

plural

viola d'amores 

1. a treble viol with numerous sympathetic strings and several gut strings, producing a resonant sound.

viola d'amore

/ vɪˈəʊlə dæˈmɔːrɪ /

noun

1. an instrument of the viol family having no frets, seven strings, and a set of sympathetic strings. It was held under the chin when played

Word History and Origins

Origin of viola d'amore¹

1690–1700; < Italian: literally, viol of love

Word History and Origins

Origin of viola d'amore¹

C18: from Italian, literally: viol of love

Example Sentences

Last month, with her sweet-sounding viola d'amore in tow, she led the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra downtown in an all-Baroque program.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

The soft timbre of Charles Pikler's viola d'amore was an unexpected if welcome touch.

Read more on Chicago Tribune

It was no ordinary music, either; there were half-a-dozen fine voices and four or five stringed instruments, played with masterly skill—a violin, a 'viola d'amore,' and at least two or three lutes.

Read more on Project Gutenberg

And besides being a master of his own instrument he plays the viola d'amore, that sweet-toned survival, with sympathetic strings, of the 17th century viol family, and the Hungarian czimbalom.

Read more on Project Gutenberg

But one day seeing in a book the words "viola d'amore," he fancied he would like to possess an instrument with such a name.

Read more on Project Gutenberg