What does "'cello" mean?

Alternative form of cello (“string instrument”).

What is a synonym for "'cello"?

Common synonyms include: violoncello, violoncello, a string, amati, bass, bass viol.

noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Noun

1
Alternative form of cello (“string instrument”). alt-of, alternative, dated
"The Octet is a very brilliant composition for a double quartet, i. e. four violins, two violas, and two ‛celli, — a small symphony in fact."

"The Octet is a very brilliant composition for a double quartet, i. e. four violins, two violas, and two ‛celli, — a small symphony in fact."

The apostrophe indicating that it is a clipping of violoncello.

Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.