Definition of vihuela in English:
vihuela
noun vɪˈ(h)weɪləˌvēˈ(h)wālə
A type of early Spanish stringed musical instrument, in particular vihuela de mano, a type of guitar, and vihuela de arco, a type of viol.
Example sentencesExamples
- As the 16-member ensemble launches into a particularly romantic song, local high school mariachi teacher John Contreras rocks rhythmically nearby, a small vihuela (an instrument similar to a guitar) at his side.
- Juan Carlos Rivera and his vihuela are shown to advantage in an extract from the Mass ‘Quam pulchri sunt’.
- The five-course guitar supplanted the aristocratic vihuela in the 17th century and came to be regarded as the typical Spanish instrument.
Origin
Mid 19th century: Spanish.