First Known Use: 15th century
Dictionary
viol
noun vi·ol \ˈvī(-ə)l, ˈvī-(ˌ)ōl\
: a musical instrument used in the past that is similar to a violin
Full Definition of VIOL
: a bowed stringed instrument chiefly of the 16th and 17th centuries made in treble, alto, tenor, and bass sizes and distinguished from members of the violin family especially in having a deep body, a flat back, sloping shoulders, usually six strings, a fretted fingerboard, and a low-arched bridge
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Origin of VIOL
Middle English vial, from Anglo-French viele, viole, from Old Occitan viola
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