viola
n. countable B2 Upper Intermediate US //vaɪˈoʊɫə// vi·o·la
n. a stringed musical instrument that looks like a small cello. It is slightly larger than a violin and has a deeper, warmer sound.
n. a bowed string instrument of the violin family, pitched a fifth below the violin and typically playing the inner harmony or counter-melody in an ensemble.
She plays the viola in the school orchestra.
The viola section provided the rich, warm middle tones that supported the melody.
In the complex textures of a string quartet, the viola often weaves intricate counter-melodies that bridge the gap between the soaring violins and the grounding cellos.
From Latin viola (“violet”).