viola da gamba

[ vee-oh-luh duh gahm-buh, -gam- ]

noun

, plural viola da gambas.

1. Also called gamba [gahm, -b, uh, gam, -]. an old musical instrument of the viol family, held on or between the knees: superseded by the modern violoncello; bass viol.
2. an organ stop of eight-foot pitch giving a stringlike tone.

viola da gamba

/ vɪˈəʊlə də ˈɡæmbə /

noun

1. See viol
   the second largest and lowest member of the viol family See viol

Word History and Origins

Origin of viola da gamba¹

First recorded 1590–1600; from Italian: literally, “viol for the leg”

Word History and Origins

Origin of viola da gamba¹

C18: from Italian, literally: viol for the leg

Example Sentences

A viola da gamba, with a finely-carved head representing an angel bandaging the eyes of a female.

From Project Gutenberg

Violetta piccola, the smallest kind of the old viol instruments, shaped with a slanting neck like the viola da gamba.

From Project Gutenberg

It was tuned a fourth higher than the larger viola da gamba, or bass-viol.

From Project Gutenberg

Its neck has catgut frets, and its six strings were tuned like those of the bass-viol, or viola da gamba, but an octave higher.

From Project Gutenberg

Like the common viola da gamba, the instrument is six-stringed, and has catgut frets.

From Project Gutenberg