Vĭ'o-lon-cĕl'lo, n.

(vē'o-lon-chĕl'lo, or vē'o-lon-sĕl'lo) (Synop., § 130), n. [It. violoncello, diminutive of violone, a base-viol; Sp. violoncello, violonchelo, Fr. violoncelle. See infra.] (Mus.) A stringed instrument of music; a base-viol of four strings, or a base-violin with long, large strings, giving sounds an octave lower than the tenor violin.