violin
/ˌvaɪ.əˈlɪn/noun, verb
violin is spelled V-I-O-L-I-N: 6 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 5.5 times per million words in written English, the 10,519th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, violin means “A small unfretted stringed instrument with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) G-D-A-E, usually held against the chin and played with a bow” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of violin is violins.
How many letters and syllables are in violin?
| Letters | 6: V-I-O-L-I-N |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 5.5 times per million words; the 10,519th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is violin?
Violin appears 5.5 times per million words in written English, the 10,519th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce violin?
- /ˌvaɪ.əˈlɪn/
- /ˈʋaɪᵊ.lɪn/
- /ˌvaɪ.oʊˈlin/
Violin has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-violin.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Forms of violin
- violins plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- violining participle, present
- violined participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does violin mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
A small unfretted stringed instrument with four strings tuned (lowest to highest) G-D-A-E, usually held against the chin and played with a bow.
When I play it like this, it's a fiddle; when I play it like this, it's a violin.
- 2
proscribedAny instrument of the violin family, always inclusive of violins, violas and cellos, and sometimes further including the double bass.
The string quartet, one of the most popular groupings in chamber music, is composed entirely of violins: two violins proper, one viola, and one cello.
- 3
A violinist in an orchestra or group.
The violins are seated with sufficient elbow room.
verb
- 1
To play on, or as if on, a violin.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
How do you abbreviate violin?
Wiktionary records 2 abbreviations of violin: Vl., Vn..
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Violin in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense string instrument:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | violon, crincrin |
| German | Geige, Violine, Fidel, Fiedel |
| Portuguese | violino, rabeca |
| Spanish | violín |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does violin come from?
Derived from Italian violino (“little viola”), from viola + -ino.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).