Standard Lemma guide

violoncello

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌvaɪələnˈtʃɛləʊ/
  • Received-Pronunciation: /ˌviːələnˈtʃɛləʊ/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˌvaɪələnˈt͡ʃɛloʊ/
  • rhymes with -ɛləʊ

1

noun

Meaning 1

Synonym of cello.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cello

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

a large stringed instrument; seated player holds it upright while playing

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: cello

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: bowed stringed instrument, string

History

Etymology

A borrowing of Italian violoncello (“little violone”), from violone (“an early form of the double bass”) + -cello (“-elle”, forming diminutives), violone itself being derived from viola + -one (“-oon”, forming augmentatives).