falsetto Hear it!

falsetto definition

fal·setto (fôl set′ō)

noun pl. falsettos -·tos

  1. an artificial way of singing or speaking, in which the voice is placed in a register much higher than that of the natural voice
  2. the voice used in such singing, esp. by tenors, usually having a soft, colorless quality
  3. a person singing or speaking in falsetto
    also falsettist fal·set′·tist

Etymology: It, dim. of falso, false < L falsus, false

adjective

of or singing in falsetto

adverb

in falsetto

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Comments
Improve this definition.
Do you have more to add? Share your linguistic knowledge or observation.
/Register to save your comments.