falsetto

American  

[fawl-set-oh] / fɔlˈsɛt oʊ /

noun

plural

falsettos

1. an unnaturally or artificially high-pitched voice or register, especially in a man.

2. a person, especially a man, who sings with such a voice.

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adjective

1. of, noting, or having the quality and compass of such a voice.

adverb

1. in a falsetto.

falsetto British  

/ fɔːlˈsɛtəʊ /

noun

1. a form of vocal production used by male singers to extend their range upwards beyond its natural compass by limiting the vibration of the vocal cords

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Etymology

Origin of falsetto

1765–75; < Italian, equivalent to fals ( o ) (< Latin falsus false ) + -etto -et

Example Sentences

But they hit their stride with 2022’s “The Death of Peace of Mind,” which melded a Weeknd-worthy R&B falsetto with rotted, churning guitars and tasteful electronics.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

As it unfolds, Mr. Ellis’s voice effortlessly slides between registers, conveying shifts in emphasis by judicious use of falsetto, which is often layered via multitrack.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 2, 2025

The first window into the album was “Good Vibrations,” a 3-minute, 35-second song that featured dramatic shifts in tone and mood with Wilson’s distinctive falsetto soaring above it all.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2025

There he was, alone on the stage, belting out falsetto notes in his spangly jumpsuit, when suddenly, an electric guitar appeared out of thin air and landed in his hands.

From BBC • May 14, 2025

He looks at me like I’ve just sung the question to him in falsetto.

From "Every Day" by David Levithan

Related Words

• singer