English Meaning & Definitions
A stringed musical instrument of the violin family, slightly larger than a violin and tuned a perfect fifth lower, typically played with a bow.
- “The violist played a haunting melody on her viola during the second movement of the concerto.”
- “The string quartet consists of two violins, a viola, and a cello.”
A herbaceous plant of the genus Viola, which includes pansies and violets.
- “The garden was filled with colorful violas that bloomed early in the spring.”
- “She planted a border of purple violas along the walkway.”
English Synonyms & Near Equivalents
Comprehensive Thesaurus Breakdown
Compare formal, informal, literary synonyms and register nuances for “viola”.
Derived from the Italian 'viola', which originated from the Medieval Latin 'vitula' (a stringed instrument). It is related to the Old Provençal 'viula' and is the root word for the entire violin family. The name was historically applied to various bowed string instruments before becoming standardized for the alto member of the violin family in the 16th century.
Think of a 'violin' that is slightly larger and has a deeper, 'vocal' (viola) tone.
Frequently Asked Questions About “viola”
1. What is the meaning of “viola” in English?
In English, viola (noun) is defined as: “A stringed musical instrument of the violin family, slightly larger than a violin and tuned a perfect fifth lower, typically played with a bow.”.
2. How do you use “viola” in a sentence?
“The violist played a haunting melody on her viola during the second movement of the concerto.”
3. What are English synonyms of “viola”?
4. What is the etymology and word origin of “viola”?
Derived from the Italian 'viola', which originated from the Medieval Latin 'vitula' (a stringed instrument). It is related to the Old Provençal 'viula' and is the root word for the entire violin family. The name was historically applied to various bowed string instruments before becoming standardized for the alto member of the violin family in the 16th century.
🇬🇧More English Words to English
View all English words →The base unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), equal to the duration of 9,192,631,770 periods of the radiation corresponding to the transition between the two hyperfine levels of the ground state of the caesium-133 atom.
A specific duration of time equal to one hour and forty-six minutes and twelve seconds.
The cardinal number equal to one thousand million (1,000,000,000), expressed in scientific notation as 10^9.
A specific duration of time equivalent to one hour and forty-six minutes.