Meaning & use
cellist
Last updated
UK/ˈtʃelɪst/
US/ˈtʃelɪst/
Meaning
nouncountablemusic
A person who plays the cello, a large stringed instrument held between the knees.
Grammar: Countable: a cellist, several cellists.
Patterns
- principal cellist
- cellist in an orchestra
The cellist tuned her instrument before the concert.
He has been a professional cellist for ten years.
A famous cellist joined the school orchestra for one night.
Word forms
| plural | cellists |
|---|
Common combinations
- principal cellist
- The principal cellist led the section.
- professional cellist
- She trained as a professional cellist.
- gifted cellist
- A gifted cellist played the solo.
- cellist in the orchestra
- He is a cellist in the city orchestra.
Synonyms and how they differ
- cello player
- Cello player means the same but is more casual and less professional-sounding.
- violinist
- A violinist plays a smaller, higher instrument.
- string player
- A string player could play any bowed instrument, not just the cello.
Word family
- cello noun
- the instrument
- cellos noun
- the plural of cello
- cello section noun
- the cellists in an orchestra
Commonly confused: cellist or cello?
cellist vs cello
The cello is the instrument; the cellist is the person playing it.
Practice
What does a cellist play?
Choose one answer.
A cellist plays the cello. The other options are played by different musicians.
Make it your own
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