: 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
plural -s
: one who plays the violin

Examples of violin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
But the violin won’t be easy to steal – also because Maya is not superstitious. Marta Balaga, Variety, 26 June 2026 In the sunroom, a boy played concertos on the violin, signalling that this was not an ordinary weekday lunch. Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 3 July 2026 Throngs of people gather to watch troupes perform ballet over the hum of violin strings, twirl to Hindi music in traditional Indian dress, and even stomp to heavy metal. Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 24 June 2026 Acoustic guitar, violin, electric guitar, piano. Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for violin

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of violin was circa 1576

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Cite this Entry

“Violin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/violin. Accessed 7 Jul. 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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