gamba

noun

gam·​ba ˈgäm-bə How to pronounce gamba (audio) ˈgam- How to pronounce gamba (audio)

Examples of gamba in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Galitzine had to learn everything from how to convincingly speak French to how to play the viola de gamba, a stringed Renaissance instrument. Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 5 Apr. 2024 From a distance, a gamba looks a bit like a cello, but with sloping, rather than rounded, shoulders and a wider fingerboard under six or seven strings (versus the cello’s four). Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 15 Sep. 2021 Accompanying instrumentalists -- two violins, a gamba, two theorbos (bass lutes), baroque harp and two harpsichords -- are divided at back corners of the stage. Scott Cantrell, Dallas News, 18 June 2019 His orchestra of 25 players included a dozen strings, pairs of recorders and cornets, harp, dulcian (bassoon) and gamba, with two harpsichords and four chitarrone again anchoring the continuo group. John Von Rhein, chicagotribune.com, 16 Oct. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gamba.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

by shortening

First Known Use

1612, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gamba was in 1612

Dictionary Entries Near gamba

Cite this Entry

“Gamba.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gamba. Accessed 8 Oct. 2024.

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