basso

¹ American  

[bas-oh, bah-soh, bahs-saw] / ˈbæs oʊ, ˈbɑ soʊ, ˈbɑs sɔ /

noun

Music.

plural

bassos,

plural

bassi

1. a person who sings bass; a bass.

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Basso ² American  

[bas-oh] / ˈbæs oʊ /

noun

1. Hamilton, 1904–64, U.S. journalist and novelist.

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basso British  

/ ˈbæsəʊ /

noun

1. (esp in operatic or solo singing) a singer with a bass voice

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Etymology

Origin of basso

1810–20; < Italian < Late Latin bassus. See base ²

Example Sentences

His debut ad felt like an Aquaman trailer, the veteran and oyster farmer’s basso profondo voice overlaying scenes of him in wet suits, splitting wood, piloting a boat, flying the flag, swinging a kettlebell.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 19, 2026

But the payoff for me came when he demonstrated the station’s rare 1934 diaphone fog signal, which sounds off with two descending blasts, basso profundo.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 11, 2024

Bartlett Sher’s production has Dulcamara arrive in a gilded carriage bearing his snake oils, and as opera’s favorite charlatan, Alex Esposito traded basso buffoonery for the tradition of slippery salesmen like Pirelli and Harold Hill.

From New York Times • Apr. 18, 2023

Sasfy added, “The style is clear — male passion and pain made real by exaggerated timing, breathless gasps, resounding basso profundo, swooping falsettos and nervous yelps.”

From Washington Post • Oct. 22, 2022

“If you two can get together on this,” Riddick told them in his best basso profundo, "it would change this community forever."

From "The Best of Enemies" by Osha Gray Davidson