baritone

1 of 2

noun

bari·​tone ˈber-ə-ˌtōn How to pronounce baritone (audio)
ˈba-rə-
variants or less commonly barytone
1
: a male singing voice of medium compass between bass and tenor
also : a person having this voice
2
: a member of a family of instruments having a range between tenor and bass
especially : the baritone saxhorn or baritone saxophone
baritonal adjective

baritone

2 of 2

adjective

variants or less commonly barytone
: relating to or having the range or part of a baritone

Examples of baritone in a Sentence

Noun He sang in his school choir as a baritone.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The annual holiday concert Dec. 14 at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church will feature baritone Cameron J. Rolling. Patrick Neas, Kansas City Star, 31 May 2024 The typical lineup is trumpet with tenor and baritone saxophones, guitar, bass and drums. Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 May 2024
Adjective
Instead, to Lacy's chagrin, Paul Robeson, a former athlete turned bass-baritone singer and actor who also was famous for visiting the Soviet Union, was there at the commissioner's invitation. Cesar Brioso, USA TODAY, 4 Feb. 2023 Chris Young became his gold standard, thanks to his sturdy songcraft and similar baritone range. Hank Shteamer, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2022 See all Example Sentences for baritone 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'baritone.' 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

Noun

French baryton or Italian baritono, from Greek barytonos deep sounding, from barys heavy + tonos tone — more at grieve

First Known Use

Noun

1609, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1729, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of baritone was in 1609

Dictionary Entries Near baritone

Cite this Entry

“Baritone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/baritone. Accessed 5 Jun. 2024.

Kids Definition

baritone

noun
bar·​i·​tone
ˈbar-ə-ˌtōn
1
a
: a male singing voice between bass and tenor
b
: a singer having such a voice
2
: a horn with a range between that of the trumpet and the tuba

More from Merriam-Webster on baritone

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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