falsetto
UK /fɔːlˈsɛt.əʊ/ · US /fɔlˈsɛt.oʊ/ noun, verb
Forms falsettos falsettoing falsettoed
- noun (singing, uncountable) The "false" (singing) voice in any human, usually airy and lacking a purity of vowels; created by using the next highest vocal folds above those used for speech and normal range singing. It is commonly confused with the head voice register.
- noun (music, countable) A person who sings in falsetto.
- verb To sing or utter in falsetto.
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian falsetto, from falso (“false”).
Webster’s 1913
- noun A false or artificial voice; that voice in a man which lies above his natural voice; the male counter tenor or alto voice. See Head voice, under Voice.
Etymology [It. falsetto, dim. fr. L. falsus. See False.]
Sources: Wiktionary · Webster’s 1913 — from the Wiktionary entry “falsetto”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details