What does "viol" mean?

A stringed instrument related to the violin family, but held in the lap between the legs like a cello, usually with C-holes, a flat back, a fretted neck and six strings, played with an underhanded bow hold.

What is a synonym for "viol"?

Common synonyms include: viola da gamba, baritone, bass viol, descant viol, fiddle, gamba.

Viol

//ˈvaɪ.əl// noun, verb

noun, verb ·Uncommon ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun

1
A stringed instrument related to the violin family, but held in the lap between the legs like a cello, usually with C-holes, a flat back, a fretted neck and six strings, played with an underhanded bow hold.
"He sayd that yᵉ ground opened, and he was brought into strange places underground, where they used musicall Instruments, violls, and Lutes, such (he sayd) as Mr. Thomas did play on."
2
any of a family of bowed stringed instruments that preceded the violin family wordnet
3
A large rope used to manipulate the anchor

Verb

1
To play the viol.
"“Keep your gold for those who lack it, mistress,” said Henry, “and do not offer to honest hands the money that is won by violing, and tabouring, and toetripping, and perhaps worse pastimes."

Synonyms

All synonyms

viola da gamba baritone bass viol descant viol fiddle gamba

Example

More examples

"He sayd that yᵉ ground opened, and he was brought into strange places underground, where they used musicall Instruments, violls, and Lutes, such (he sayd) as Mr. Thomas did play on."

Etymology

Borrowed from Middle French viole, from Old French viol, from Old Occitan viola (modern Occitan viula), from Medieval Latin vitula (“stringed instrument”). Doublet of viola.

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