contrabass

[ kon-truh-beys ]

noun

1. (in any family of instruments) the member below the bass.
2. (in the violin family) the double bass.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or characteristic of such instruments:

   a contrabass trombone.

contrabass

/ ˌkɒntrəˈbeɪsɪst; ˌkɒntrəˈbeɪs; -ˈbæs- /

noun

1. a member of any of various families of musical instruments that is lower in pitch than the bass
2. another name for double bass

adjective

1. of or denoting the instrument of a family that is lower than the bass

Derived Forms

• contrabassist, noun

Other Words From

• con·tra·bass·ist [kon, -tr, uh, -bey-sist, -bas-ist], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of contrabass¹

From Italian, dating back to 1590–1600; contrabasso

Example Sentences

As a contrabass to the rhythm of the blacksmiths hammer, the booming murmur of the sea trembled across the summer air.

From Project Gutenberg

Down the shaded street the metallic rhythm of the anvil was breaking through the contrabass of the surf.

From Project Gutenberg

The bombardon in B flat or C, an octave lower than the euphonium, corresponds to the contrabass tuba in the orchestra.

From Project Gutenberg

The tone was pleasant and full, but not powerful enough for the contrabass register in a military band.

From Project Gutenberg

Darwin had the contrabass played to an audience of sprouting garden-beans, in order to observe the effect of music on vegetation.

From Project Gutenberg