Cello
noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Definitions
- 1 A large unfretted stringed instrument of the violin family with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) C-G-D-A and an endpin to support its weight, usually played with a bow.
"I haven't always been this cool because I haven't always played guitar. I started out on the cello. Yeah, the cello is a wonderful, beautiful instrument. It's cool to be an adult that plays the cello. Being a kid that played the cello sucked, cause there's no way to be cool when your instrument is larger than you. When you walk to school with a cello you're like a wounded gazelle on the Serengeti, man. The bullies just smell you coming from a mile away."
- 2 cellophane uncountable
"Chocolates arranged in a candy dish or basket, antique or purchased in accordance to^([sic]) the personal taste of the host/hostess, wrapped with cello wrap and tied with a lovely ribbon—decadent!"
- 3 a large stringed instrument; seated player holds it upright while playing wordnet
Example
More examples"I have an interest in cello and piano."
Etymology
Clipping of violoncello, the original name, from Italian violoncello (“little violone”), from violone (“an early form of the double bass”) + -cello (“-elle”, forming diminutives), violone (“big viola”) itself being derived from viola + -one (“-oon”, forming augmentatives).
Shortening of cellophane.
Related phrases
More for "cello"
Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.