viola

n. four-stringed instrument from the violin family that is larger than a violin but smaller than a cello and is held under the chin

The viola (French, alto; German Bratsche) is a bowed string instrument. It is the middle voice of the violin family, between the upper lines played by the violin and the lower lines played by the cello. The casual observer may mistake the viola for the violin because of their similarity in size, closeness in pitch range (the viola is a perfect fifth below the violin), and identical playing position. However, the viola's timbre sets it apart: its rich, dark-toned sonority is more full-bodied than the violin's. The viola's mellow voice is frequently used for playing inner harmonies, and it does not enjoy the wide solo repertoire or fame of the violin.
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Noun
1. large genus of flowering herbs of temperate regions
(synonym) genus Viola
(hypernym) dilleniid dicot genus
(member-holonym) Violaceae, family Violaceae, violet family

Noun
1. any of the numerous plants of the genus Viola
(hypernym) herb, herbaceous plant
(hyponym) violet
(member-holonym) Viola, genus Viola
2. a bowed stringed instrument slightly larger than a violin, tuned a fifth lower
(hypernym) bowed stringed instrument, string

n. viol, early stringed instrument similar to violin

v. violate, ravish, rape; break, offend against, force; infringe, breach, invade