viola da gamba

viola da gam·ba  (gämb, gm-)

n.

1. A stringed instrument, the bass of the viol family, with approximately the range of the cello. Also called bass viol, gamba, viol.

2. An organ stop of eight-foot pitch yielding tones similar to those of the viola da gamba.

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[Italian : viola, viol + da, of, for + gamba, leg.]

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viola da gamba [vee-oh-la da gam-ba]

Noun

the second largest and lowest member of the viol family [Italian, literally: viol for the leg]

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

viola da gamba - viol that is the bass member of the viol family with approximately the range of the cello bass viol, gamba viol - any of a family of bowed stringed instruments that preceded the violin family