cello

¹

[ chel-oh ]

noun

, plural cel·los.

1. the second largest member of the violin family, rested vertically on the floor between the performer's knees when being played.

cello

²

[ sel-oh ]

noun

, Informal.

1. cellophane.

cello

/ ˈtʃɛləʊ /

noun

1. music a bowed stringed instrument of the violin family. Range: more than four octaves upwards from C below the bass staff. It has four strings, is held between the knees, and has an extendible metal spike at the lower end, which acts as a support Full namevioloncello

cello

1. An instrument in the violin family, known for its rich tone. Among the strings , or stringed instruments, the cello has the second-lowest range, higher only than the bass viol , and it has the lowest part in string quartets . Cellists hold the instrument between their knees to play it. Cello is short for violoncello .

Derived Forms

• ˈcellist, noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of cello¹

First recorded in 1875–80; short for violoncello

Origin of cello²

By shortening

Example Sentences

The Russian rocket that landed in Ukraine two years ago but did not explode has been hollowed out and with its explosive components replaced by a bow from a cello.

From BBC

Not bad for a middle-class kid from southwestern London who grew up playing cello in school and singing in a choir but who had no real plans to turn professional.

From Los Angeles Times

But Dudamel lived up to tradition by opening the season with the premiere of a major cello by Gabriela Ortiz and a new staging of Mendelssohn’s “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” featuring Spanish film star María Valverde.

From Los Angeles Times

“Dzonot,” Ortiz’s new cello concerto written for Alisa Weilerstein, takes its title from the Mayan word for abyss.

From Los Angeles Times

The solo cello does not stand out in the way the violin does in “Altar de Cuerda.”

From Los Angeles Times