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bass

bass

1 4.1
Having a low sound in singing or music
  • adjective
  • /beɪs/
translation icon : grave
  • The band's bass notes resonated deeply with the audience at the concert.

More music than said Master Schoengar, sounding extremely bass and impatient.

Examples

  • Willie, you be bass.

  • The singer's voice had a rich, bass quality that filled the auditorium.

  • No, that's much too bass.

  • For this song, we need a bass guitar to complement the rhythm.

Synonyms

low
vsbass
721 1.8

Sound with a deep note less high than normal

specifies musical vocal or instrumental range rather than general pitch
deep
vsbass
99 3.1

Having a low, strong sound, like a voice or instrument

focuses on musical low range rather than general intensity
bassy
vsbass
1 4.7

A strong low sound that you can feel in your chest

denotes a low vocal or instrumental range without extra emphasis

Compounds

bass line
  • Specialized
9 3.4

A low rhythm or melody played by bass instruments that gives music its beat and depth

6 3.0

Firm white meat from saltwater fish that people eat

bass drum
  • Specialized
5 3.0

A large deep drum that makes a low beat for bands and orchestras

bass guitar
  • Specialized
5 3.1

A guitar with a long neck and four or six strings that plays low notes

5 5.1

A large fish with dark lines along its body that people eat and catch for sport

4 2.0

A fish that people catch for sport and food along the Atlantic coast of the United States

bass voice
  • Specialized
1 3.1

A low male singing voice that sounds deep and rich

1 3.6

A large string instrument with four strings that makes very low sounds when played with a bow or plucked

1 3.9

A large freshwater fish from North America with a wide mouth past the eye

smallmouth bass
  • Specialized
1 5.4

A freshwater fish from North America with a small mouth popular with people who fish

bass clarinet
  • Specialized
1 4.6

A large clarinet that makes deep, rich sounds much lower than a normal clarinet

bass part
  • Specialized
1 6.3

The lowest singing or instrument line that plays deep notes to support the music

1 3.7

A very large low instrument with a deep sound used in orchestras and jazz bands

bass clef
  • Specialized
1 5.6

A sign on written music that marks the note F below middle C for low instruments and voices

bass fiddle
  • Specialized
1 4.7

A very large violin that makes very low sounds

1 5.3

A freshwater fish often found in North American lakes that people catch for sport

1 4.3

A dark fish with stripes that lives along the Atlantic coast and that people eat and catch for sport

1 4.8

A freshwater fish in North America that lives in shallow, rocky water and people catch for food or sport

bass horn
  • Specialized
7.0

A brass instrument with a very low sound used in orchestras and bands

bass viol
  • Archaic
9.4

A large old string instrument with a deep, rich sound like a big cello

A small sea fish with a black mouth and dark area inside its gills

7.0

A large saltwater fish often caught for food along the US coast

Having notes one octave lower than the normal low voice or instrument

figured bass
  • Specialized
9.9

A bass part with numbers that show which chords a keyboard player should play

A fish from lakes and rivers in North America that people catch for food and sport

A large freshwater fish with a very wide mouth popular with people who fish

A large freshwater fish with a wide mouth often caught for sport

A large freshwater fish with a dark green back and a very wide mouth

Meat from a largemouth bass served as food

ground bass
  • Specialized
8.2

A short low tune that repeats while other parts change

Kentucky black bass
  • Specialized
7.5

A medium-sized freshwater fish with dark spots along its side

8.5

A small fish that lives near rocky western Atlantic coasts and has a dark body

thorough bass
  • Specialized
9.9

A bass line written with numbers that show the chords to play

A low, steady sound you feel from bass speakers

smallmouth black bass
  • Specialized
7.7

A freshwater fish with a small mouth often caught by people who fish

smallmouthed bass
  • Specialized
7.8

A North American freshwater fish with a small mouth often caught for sport

8.4

A North American freshwater fish that has a small mouth below the eye

A freshwater fish with dark spots often found in North American rivers and lakes

8.6

A large brown fish that lives near rocks and shipwrecks in the Atlantic and Mediterranean

yellow bass
  • Specialized
7.7

A small freshwater fish with yellowish colour that looks like a striped bass

How Low

bass
1 4.1
low-pitched
1 3.7
midrange
2 4.2
high-pitched
41 3.7

Surface Forms

bass positive

Etymology

The adjective bass goes back to Latin bassus meaning 'low', so we use bass to describe a deep, low sound in a voice or instrument.