bass

Meanings

Adjective

• Of sound, a voice or an instrument, low in pitch or frequency.

Noun

• A low spectrum of sound tones.
• A section of musical group that produces low-pitched sound, lower than the baritone and tenor.
• One who sings in the bass range.
• An instrument that plays in the bass range, in particular a double bass, bass guitar, electric bass or bass synthesiser.
• The clef sign that indicates that the pitch of the notes is below middle C; a bass clef.
• The perch; any of various marine and freshwater fish resembling the perch, all within the order of Perciformes.
• The fibrous inner bark of the linden or lime tree, used for making mats.
• Fibers from other plants, especially palm trees
• Anything made from such fibers, such as a hassock, basket or thick mat.

Verb

• To sound in a deep tone.

Related

Similar words

• basso
• F clef

Origin

• A respelling of base under the influence of Italian basso.
• From Middle English bace, bas, alteration of bars, from Old English bærs ("a fish, perch"), from Proto-West Germanic *bars, from Proto-Germanic *barsaz ("perch"), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰórsos ("prickle, thorn, scale"). Cognate with Dutch baars ("perch, bass"), German Barsch ("perch"). More at barse.
• A corruption of bast.