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violin

American  
[vahy-uh-lin] / ˌvaɪ əˈlɪn /

noun

  1. the treble instrument of the family of modern bowed instruments, held nearly horizontal by the player's arm with the lower part supported against the collarbone or shoulder.

  2. a violinist or part for a violin.

violin British  
/ ˌvaɪəˈlɪn /

noun

  1. a bowed stringed instrument, the highest member of the violin family, consisting of a fingerboard, a hollow wooden body with waisted sides, and a sounding board connected to the back by means of a soundpost that also supports the bridge. It has two f-shaped sound holes cut in the belly. The instrument, noted for its fine and flexible tone, is the most important of the stringed instruments. It is held under the chin when played. Range: roughly three and a half octaves upwards from G below middle C

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
violin Cultural  

  1. The most familiar and highest-pitched instrument of the strings. A typical symphony orchestra has more than two dozen violinists.

Etymology

Origin of violin

1570–80; < Italian violino, equivalent to viol ( a ) ( viola 1 ) + -ino diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

After studying at the Royal Academy of Music in London, she toured the world with the female electric violin quartet Escala after reaching the final of Britain's Got Talent in 2008.

From BBC • Mar. 22, 2026

It bursts with insights that mix journalistic acumen with gossip, backed by a score generously seasoned with mischievous violin string plucking.

From Salon • Mar. 14, 2026

Abdulmejid loved European culture, quoted French and German poetry, and played the cello, violin and piano.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 4, 2026

The 37-year-old classical violinist lives in Tempe, Ariz., and makes a living with a mix of part-time jobs, including teaching violin lessons and playing weddings.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 24, 2026

The amplitude of a sound is a particular number, usually measured in decibels, but dynamics are relative; an orchestra playing fortissimo sounds much louder than a single violin playing fortissimo.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.