viol: Meaning and Definition of

vi•ol

Pronunciation: (vī'ul), [key]
— n.
  1. a bowed musical instrument, differing from the violin in having deeper ribs, sloping shoulders, a greater number of strings, usually six, and frets: common in the 16th and 17th centuries in various sizes from the treble viol to the bass viol.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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