ukulele


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u·ku·le·le

or u·ke·le·le  (yo͞o′kə-lā′lē, o͞o′kə-)
n.
A small four-stringed guitar popularized in Hawaii.

[Hawaiian 'ukulele, probably from 'uku lele, jumping flea (perhaps in reference to the movement of the fingers when playing the instrument) : 'uku, louse, flea (from Proto-Polynesian kutu, louse) + lele, to fly, jump (from Proto-Polynesian lele).]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ukulele

(ˌjuːkəˈleɪlɪ) or

ukelele

n
(Instruments) a small four-stringed guitar, esp of Hawaii
[C19: from Hawaiian, literally: jumping flea, from `uku flea + lele jumping]
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

u•ku•le•le

or u•ke•le•le

(ˌyu kəˈleɪ li, ˌu-)

n., pl. -les.
a small, guitarlike musical instrument associated chiefly with Hawaiian music.
[1895–1900 < Hawaiian ‘ukulele leaping flea]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun1.ukulele - a small guitar having four stringsukulele - a small guitar having four strings  
guitar - a stringed instrument usually having six strings; played by strumming or plucking
Aloha State, Hawaii, Hawai'i, HI - a state in the United States in the central Pacific on the Hawaiian Islands
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
ukulele
ウクレレ
ukulele
ukulele

ukulele

[ˌjuːkəˈleɪlɪ] Nukelele m
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

ukulele

ukelele [ˌjuːkəˈleɪli] nukulélé m
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

ukulele

, ukelele
nUkulele f
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
References in classic literature ?
The hulk of an ancient wreck burned with blue fires, in the light of which danced the HULA dancers to the barbaric love-calls of the singers, who chanted to tinkling UKULELES and rumbling tom-toms.
\Stirling High Ukulele Concert A small group of pupils attended a concert by the Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain last Wednesday.
In addition to the new music, Abe's Kickstarter campaign features special incentives such as ukulele strings, a copy of the original sheet music, private ukulele lessons via Skype or in-person in the Los Angeles-area, and a private 1-hour solo ukulele performance.
As part of the Pimp My Uke project each artist will receive a blank ukulele from Community Music Wales which they will paint in their own unique style.
So entertaining was he that he is thought to have been the inspiration for the Hawaiian name for the stringed instrument we now know as the ukulele.
The banjolele - it's officially a banjo ukulele - used to belong to well-known Birmingham bookie Terry Wallins, who snapped it up in 1972.
Young ukulele players strummed, sang and jammed Saturday at an annual gathering in downtown Eugene centered on the stringed instrument.
UKULELE players are set to descend on Warwick Racecourse for the fourth annual Great Midland Ukefest on Saturday, July 9.
"How To Play the Ukulele for the Complete Ignoramus" is a spiral-bound instruction book of 104 pages with CD which presents a compact program of ukulele instruction, chording, strumming, tuning, reading, and playing popular, simple ukulele songs.
GEORGE Formby was a whizz on the ukulele - and now you can be too.
* 21 Songs In 6 Days: Learn Ukulele the Easy Way, by Jenny Peters and Rebecca Bogart.