viol (redirected from Viols)

vi·ol  (vl)

n.

1. Any of a family of stringed instruments, chiefly of the 16th and 17th centuries, having a fretted fingerboard, usually six strings, and a flat back and played with a curved bow.

2. See viola da gamba.

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[Alteration of Middle English viel, from Old French viole, vielle, from Old Provençal viola; see viola¹.]

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viol [vie-oll]

Noun

a stringed musical instrument that preceded the violin [Old Provençal viola]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

viol - any of a family of bowed stringed instruments that preceded the violin family bowed stringed instrument, string - stringed instruments that are played with a bow; "the strings played superlatively well" viola da braccio - a member of the viol family with approximately the range of a viola bass viol, gamba, viola da gamba - viol that is the bass member of the viol family with approximately the range of the cello viola d'amore - viol that is the tenor of the viol family