piccolo

1 of 2

adjective

pic·​co·​lo ˈpi-kə-ˌlō How to pronounce piccolo (audio)
: smaller than ordinary size
a piccolo banjo

piccolo

2 of 2

noun

plural piccolos
: a small shrill flute whose range is an octave higher than that of an ordinary flute
piccoloist
ˈpi-kə-ˌlō-ist How to pronounce piccolo (audio)
noun

Illustration of piccolo

Illustration of piccolo

Examples of piccolo in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Harden switched to the flute in fifth grade, and now plays piccolo. — Christina Mayo, Miami Herald, 22 Jan. 2026 Her question, in Lipe-Smith’s inquisitive piccolo of a voice, is heartbreaking in its blend of straightforwardness and desperate desire, as is her mother’s wavering response. — Sara Holdren, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025 Andy Weir can write that an alien scientist from the star 40 Eridani has a tonal language that ranges from things that sound, to the human ear, like the deepest whale calls to the highest notes on a piccolo, and the reader’s mind does all the work to imagine that. — Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 24 Mar. 2026 Talukder won over the judges by playing oboe, English horn, flute and piccolo in a nearly 30-minute performance at the Spertus Institute Feinberg Theater in Chicago. — Jennifer Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for piccolo

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Italian, small

Noun

Italian, short for piccolo flauto small flute

First Known Use

Adjective

1832, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1841, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of piccolo was in 1832

Rhymes for piccolo

See All Rhymes for piccolo

Browse Nearby Words

piccata
piccolo
piccoloist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Piccolo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/piccolo. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

piccolo

noun
pic·​co·​lo
ˈpik-ə-ˌlō
plural piccolos
: a small shrill flute
piccoloist
-əst
noun
Etymology

Noun

from Italian piccolo "piccolo," a shortened form of piccolo flauto "little flute"

More from Merriam-Webster on piccolo

Nglish: Translation of piccolo for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about piccolo

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