cellonoun [ C ]
plural cellos also 'cello uk/ˈtʃel.əʊ/us/ˈtʃel.oʊ/formal violoncelloB2 a wooden musical instrument with four strings, that is held vertically between the legs and is played by moving a bow across the strings:
My girlfriend plays the cello.
More examples
- He played cello as a teen in the school orchestra.
- My daughter is taking up the cello.
- Their albums feature instruments from cello and pedal steel guitar to harmonica.
- Jacqueline du Pré's recordings of the Cello Concerto
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Musical instruments
- accordion
- alphorn
- alto
- alto recorder
- bagpipes
- English horn
- euphonium
- fingerboard
- flugelhorn
- flute
- pitched
- plectrum
- reed
- reed instrument
- sax
- viola
- violin
- violoncello
- vuvuzela
- wind chimes
See more results »
Examples from literature
- Besides making violins, this eminent artist also made guitars, lutes, 'cellos and tenors.
- He ought to have led an orchestra or played a 'cello.
- His wife was a fine pianist, he himself a first-rate performer on the cello.
- She has also written pieces for violin, 'cello, voice, and piano.
- There were two violins, a concertina, and the 'cello.