cavaquinho

noun

ca·​va·​qui·​nho

ˌkavəˈkē(ˌ)nyü

plural -s

: a Brazilian stringed musical instrument somewhat smaller than a ukulele

Word History

Etymology

Portuguese, diminutive of cavaco piece of wood, from cavar to dig out, hollow out, from Latin cavare to hollow out

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!