: 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

Illustration of violin

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

Examples of violin 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.
The result was a tapestry of bizarro folk elegies whose combination of violin, slide guitar, and the occasional lovestruck lyric sounded like tuning into AM radio in the midst of the apocalypse. — Henry Ivry, Pitchfork, 30 Oct. 2026 In the exclusive first-look clip above, O’Connor artfully grapples with his longing to return to music, hugging a past version of himself playing the violin as his face bleeds from a boxing injury. — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 28 Oct. 2026 Dolores thrived on a middle-class upbringing of Girl Scouts, violin lessons and tap dancing, describing her mother’s generosity as a guiding force. — James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 28 Oct. 2026 The crowd chanted France's national anthem and waved flags, and some people played trumpets and violins. — Sylvie Corbet, Arkansas Online, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for violin

Word History

Etymology

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

First Known Use

circa 1576, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of violin was circa 1576

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Violin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/violin. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Kids Definition

1
: a stringed musical instrument with four strings that is usually held against the shoulder under the chin and played with a bow
2

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