pardessus de viole

noun

par·​des·​sus de vi·​ole

¦pärdə¦südəvēˈōl

plural pardessus de viole

: a five- or six-stringed viol that is approximately the size of a violin and that is tuned an octave higher than the tenor viol

called also descant viol, quinton

Word History

Etymology

French, literally, above the viol

First Known Use

1889, in the meaning defined above

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