What does "piccolo" mean?
A transverse flute that is smaller than a Western concert flute and pitched nearly an octave higher.
Piccolo
/ˈpɪkəloʊ/ adj, name, noun
adj, name, noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A transverse flute that is smaller than a Western concert flute and pitched nearly an octave higher.
- Grammar: piccolo is listed as adj, name, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: aulos, basset horn, basset oboe, bassoon.
- Useful contrasts: bass flute, big, full size.
- Usage evidence: No instrument is snootier than the piccolo trumpet.
How to use "piccolo"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "piccolo" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "piccolo" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "piccolo" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "piccolo" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "piccolo" is acting as adj, name, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "aulos" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "piccolo", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A transverse flute that is smaller than a Western concert flute and pitched nearly an octave higher.
- 2 a small flute; pitched an octave above the standard flute wordnet
- 3 An organ stop with the tone of a piccolo flute.
- 4 A piccolo piano. obsolete
- 5 A waiter’s assistant in a hotel or restaurant.
"[A]s I fled I felt Laploshka's reproachful eyes watching the amount that I gave to the piccolo—out of his two francs."
Show 2 more definitions
- 6 A coin-operated gramophone; a jukebox. New-York, Southern-US, US
- 7 A bottle of champagne containing 0.1875 litres of fluid, one quarter the volume of a standard bottle.
Adjective
- 1 Designating the highest-pitched or smallest of a family of musical instruments.
"There is also the Piccolo Trumpet, built in D, which can with ease attack high notes which are outside the range of the ordinary B flat instrument, as well as the rarely used Bass Trumpet."
Proper Noun
- 1 A surname from Italian.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"No instrument is snootier than the piccolo trumpet."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "piccolo"?
Common synonyms include: aulos, basset horn, basset oboe, bassoon, block flute, bombard.
How do you use "piccolo" in a sentence?
No instrument is snootier than the piccolo trumpet.
How do you pronounce "piccolo"?
Pronounced /ˈpɪkəloʊ/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Italian piccolo (“small”).
Etymology 2
Borrowed from Italian Piccolo.