viol
viol
UK[ˈvaɪəl]US[ˈvaɪəl]
n
A stringed musical instrument of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, typically with six strings and frets, played with a bow and held upright on or between the knees; a precursor to the modern violin family.
Etymology
The journey of "viol" begins with the Medieval Latin term "vitula," a word for a stringed instrument, whose own origin is thought to be connected to "vitulari," meaning to rejoice or celebrate, linking music with festivity. This term passed into the Romance languages, notably as "viola" in Italian and "viole" in French, before being adopted into English in the late 15th century. The English "viol" specifically denotes the early bowed, fretted instrument that flourished before the modern violin's dominance. Its name preserves a direct linguistic lineage to its continental European ancestors, encapsulating its role in the joyful art of music-making.
Analysis
The word "viol" is a simplex loanword. It entered English from Middle French "viole," which itself derived from Old Provençal "viola." The ultimate origin is the Medieval Latin word "vitula" or "vidula," a term for a stringed instrument, which is likely related to the Latin "vitulari," meaning "to be joyful" or "to celebrate."
Examples
The consort's sound was enriched by the deep, resonant tones of the bass viol.
He is a specialist in historically informed performance, playing the viola da gamba, a type of viol.
The painting depicted a nobleman serenading his lady with a treble viol.