mandolin

noun

man·​do·​lin ˌman-də-ˈlin 

ˈman-də-lən

variants or less commonly mandoline

ˌman-də-ˈlēn 

ˈman-də-lən

1

: a musical instrument of the lute family that has a usually pear-shaped body and fretted neck and four to six pairs of strings

2

usually mandoline [French, from Italian mandolino mandolin] : a kitchen utensil with a blade for slicing and shredding

mandolinist

ˌman-də-ˈli-nist 

noun

Illustration of mandolin

• mandolin 1

Examples of mandolin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Utility man John McFee, who joined in 1980, adds violin while Michael McDonald, who returned to the group in 2019, strums away on a mandolin from behind his keyboard. —Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 6 June 2025

Create a red tomato rose by thinly slicing, preferably on a mandolin, into a long strip and rolling it into a rose shape. —Claudia Alarcón, Forbes.com, 30 May 2025

The choreographer says he’s avoided clichés like pizza and mandolins in the work, explaining that those are stereotypes more closely tied to Italian-American culture than modern Italy. —Orlando Taquechel, Miami Herald, 6 May 2025

Hull's new album A Tip Toe High Wire is her first in five years, and her songwriting and mandolin skills emanate coziness throughout making each listen feel akin to sitting on the porch in the summer breeze. —Ross Rosenfeld, MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian mandolino, diminutive of mandola

First Known Use

1707, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mandolin

• aneurin
• crystallin
• eosin
• porphyrin
• underpin
• violin
• akin
• auxin
• buckskin
• chagrin
• deerskin
• foreskin

Kids Definition

mandolin

noun

man·​do·​lin ˌman-də-ˈlin 

ˈman-dᵊl-ən

variants also mandoline

ˌman-də-ˈlēn 

ˈman-dᵊl-ən

: a stringed instrument with a pear-shaped body and four to six pairs of strings played by plucking