violin

A2 Topic:Tools, Machines & Construction

US /ˌvaɪ.əˈlɪn/ See IPA manual

Freq #6656

Meanings

1

noun
A small wooden stringed instrument with four strings, held under the chin and played with a bow.

She has played the violin since she was six.
2

noun
A violin player in an orchestra or group.

The first violins led the melody.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a small wooden stringed... fiddle

More crowd

Word family

Forms violins

Derived forms horn-violinkit-violinpiano-violinviolinist

Related forms viol viola violoncello

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

violin lesson
a session in which someone is taught to play the violin

Noun + noun

Simplified etymology

Violin was borrowed in the late 16th century from Italian violino, literally “little viola,” the name of a smaller, higher-pitched bowed instrument. Viola was related to French viole, from which English had earlier borrowed viol.

Etymology

Etymology tree Medieval Latin *vitulader. Old Occitan violabor.? Italian viola Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Italic *-īnos Latin -īnus Italian -ino Italian violinoder. English violin Derived from Italian violino (“little viola”), from viola + -ino (forming dimunitives).

Topics

Tools, Machines & Construction

External links

# violin

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A2
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌvaɪ.əˈlɪn/
**Frequency rank:** 6656

## Meanings
1. A small wooden stringed instrument with four strings, held under the chin and played with a bow.
2. A violin player in an orchestra or group.

## Examples
- She has played the violin since she was six.
- The first violins led the melody.

## Synonyms
- crowd
- fiddle

## Derived Forms
- horn-violin
- kit-violin
- piano-violin
- violinist

## Related Forms
- viol
- viola
- violoncello

## Etymology
Etymology tree Medieval Latin *vitulader. Old Occitan violabor.? Italian viola Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos Proto-Italic *-īnos Latin -īnus Italian -ino Italian violinoder. English violin Derived from Italian violino (“little viola”), from viola + -ino (forming dimunitives).

## AI Etymology
Violin: The etymological chain runs Medieval Latin *vitula -> Old Occitan viola -> Italian viola -> Proto-Indo-European *-nós -> Proto-Indo-European *-iHnos -> Proto-Italic *-īnos -> Latin -īnus -> Italian -ino -> Italian violino -> English violin. Derived from Italian violino (“little viola”), from viola + -ino (forming dimunitives). In present-day use, it can mean a small wooden stringed instrument with four strings, held under the chin and played with a bow, or a violin player in an orchestra or group. Derived formations include horn-violin, kit-violin, piano-violin, violinist.

## Topics
- Tools, Machines & Construction

markdown