violin

1 of 2

noun (1)

vi·​o·​lin ˌvī-ə-ˈlin 

: a bowed stringed instrument having four strings tuned at intervals of a fifth and a usual range from G below middle C upward for more than 4½ octaves and having a shallow body, shoulders at right angles to the neck, a fingerboard without frets, and a curved bridge

violinist

ˌvī-ə-ˈli-nist 

noun

violinistic

ˌvī-ə-lə-ˈni-stik 

adjective

Illustration of violin

• 1 bridge
• 2 sound hole
• 3 soundboard
• 4 fingerboard
• 5 pegs
• 6 scroll
• 7 tailpiece
• g G-string
• d D-string
• a A-string
• e E-string

violinist

2 of 2

noun (2)

vi·​o·​lin·​ist ˌvīəˈlinə̇st sometimes ˈvīəˌlin- or -ələ̇n- 

plural -s

: one who plays the violin

Examples of violin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

In one, a dark-haired man played the Camille Saint-Saëns song on a dusty violin while a ballerina in a fanlike feathery skirt danced the part of the swan. — Tom Drury, Harpers Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026

Her performance tonight, drenched in red and flanked by violins, was a testament to the timeless appeal of her voice. — Isabella Albaig, Vulture, 28 Sep. 2026

Winters said his mission is still driven in large part by getting kids excited about playing a violin or cello. — Andres Viglucci, Miami Herald, 25 Sep. 2026

During downtime, Benioff practiced violin and tried to reconcile his love of music with his understanding of science. — Danny Robb, JSTOR Daily, 25 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

borrowed from Italian violino, from viola "viola, viol" + -ino, diminutive suffix, going back to Latin -īnus -ine entry 1

Noun (2)

Italian violinista, from violino violin + -ista -ist

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1576, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for violin

• akin
• auxin
• buckskin
• chagrin
• crankpin
• deerskin
• foreskin
• fuchsin
• herein
• kingpin
• linchpin
• pigskin

Kids Definition

violin

noun

vi·​o·​lin ˌvī-ə-ˈlin 

1

: a stringed musical instrument with four strings that is usually held against the shoulder under the chin and played with a bow

2

: violinist