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

---

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

Glass removed violins from the orchestra to achieve a dark, primordial orchestral sound along with pounding percussion.

From Los Angeles Times

Where do the world’s best violins come from?

From MarketWatch

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

From The Wall Street Journal

She played the violin from age 8, but it was only after she heard Puccini at 13 that she fell in love with classical music.

From Los Angeles Times

Cancelleri, the California entrepreneur, said he has no regrets about holding his son back and would have been just as proactive if the boy loved the violin.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• fiddle