viola da gamba

(-də gäm)

an early stringed instrument of the viol family, held between the knees and comparable in range to the cello

Origin: It, lit., viol for the leg

See viola da gamba in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun
  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.

Origin:

Origin: Italian

Origin: : viola, viol

Origin: + da, of, for

Origin: + gamba, leg

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