cembalo: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Academic, Musical
Quick answer
What does “cembalo” mean?
A keyboard instrument, especially of the baroque period, whose strings are plucked by quills or plectra.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A keyboard instrument, especially of the baroque period, whose strings are plucked by quills or plectra.
A historical instrument of the harpsichord family; the term can also refer to a similar instrument used in folk music in some regions. In modern contexts, it denotes a period instrument used for historically informed performance of early music.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Both variants use the Italian loanword.
Connotations
Slightly more likely to be used in British musicological writing, but the term is specialist in both regions.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in general language. Slightly higher frequency in UK due to stronger early music tradition, but the difference is marginal.
Grammar
How to Use “cembalo” in a Sentence
play the ~the ~ [verb] (sounded, resonated)a ~ by [maker]for ~ and [other instrument]accompanied by ~Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “cembalo” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The piece was originally written to be cembaloed, not pianoforted.
American English
- The composer specifically cembaloed this passage for a brighter texture.
adverb
British English
- The suite was played cembalo-ly, with precise articulation.
American English
- She interpreted the fugue more cembalo-like than pianistically.
adjective
British English
- The cembalistic tradition is central to understanding Baroque performance.
American English
- He specializes in cembalo repertoire from the 17th century.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in musicology, historical performance practice, and music history contexts.
Everyday
Almost never used; a layperson would say 'harpsichord'.
Technical
The precise term for specific types of historical harpsichords, especially in instrument cataloguing and restoration.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “cembalo”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “cembalo”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “cembalo”
- Pronouncing the 'c' as /s/ (it's /tʃ/).
- Misspelling as 'cembello' or 'chembalo'.
- Using it to refer to a modern piano.
- Using plural 'cembalos' (the Italian plural 'cembali' is sometimes used in English).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Essentially, yes. 'Cembalo' is the Italian word for harpsichord and is often used in English to refer specifically to Italian-style harpsichords or in historical contexts.
It adds specificity or an authentic period flavour. In academic or performance contexts, it can denote a particular national style (e.g., Italian cembalo vs. French clavecin).
In British English, it's /ˈtʃɛmbələʊ/. In American English, it's /ˈtʃɛmbəloʊ/. The 'c' is pronounced like 'ch' in 'church'.
No. It is a low-frequency, specialist term used almost exclusively within classical music circles, particularly those focused on early music.
A keyboard instrument, especially of the baroque period, whose strings are plucked by quills or plectra.
Cembalo is usually formal, academic, musical in register.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'CEMETERY' for old things and 'BALLOON' for something light and plucked. An old (cemetery) instrument with a light, plucked (balloon-pop) sound = CEMBALO.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE PAST AS A FOREIGN COUNTRY (Italian term for a historical instrument).
Practice
Quiz
What is a 'cembalo'?