basso cantante

noun

basso can·​tan·​te

-kən-ˈtan-tē;

-(ˌ)kän-ˈtän-tē,

-ˈtän-ˌtā

plural bassi cantanti

-kən-ˈtan-(ˌ)tē,

-(ˌ)kän-ˈtän-

: a bass voice with a well-developed upper range

a basso cantante … he combines baritone agility with bass sonority and boom

—Time

compare basso profundo

Word History

Etymology

Italian, literally, singing bass

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

• More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
• Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
• Advanced search features
• Ad free!