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.

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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

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violin Cultural  

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

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Etymology

Origin of violin

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

Explanation

Violin is the formal word for a fiddle — a stringed instrument that's held to a player's neck and played with a bow. Nearly every string quartet includes at least one violin. The word violin comes from viola, from the Italian viola da braccio, which was a popular medieval instrument. The earliest violins had only three strings, while modern instruments have four. Starting around the 16th century, the violin became a very popular instrument, particularly among nobles. Most violins are built from maple wood, and their strings are made of dried animal gut or steel and are sometimes plated with silver.

Example Sentences

When a violin string is plucked, it produces a main tone along with a series of overtones.

From Science Daily • May 19, 2026

Lalo’s prominent violin part was played at the gala with impressive finesse by Hilary Hahn as guest.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 13, 2026

Lampenius, a classical concert violinist, obtained permission to play her instrument - a 19th Century Gagliano violin - live on stage.

From BBC • May 12, 2026

Blending classical violin with pop and rock, their "Flamethrower" is "a three-minute burst of drama" of "very high musical quality," Eurovision expert Anna Muurinen told AFP.

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

After he’d finished eating, Mr. Shareef stepped out of the room, and he returned a moment later carrying a violin and a bow.

From "The Wild Robot Escapes" by Peter Brown

Related Words

• fiddle