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Glite Dictionary
fretless

fretless

1 7.2
A string instrument without raised metal bars on its neck
  • adjective
  • /ˈfrɛtləs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : sin trastes
  • She preferred the fretless guitar for its smooth sound, which allowed for more expressive playing.
  • fretless bass

Examples

  • That's not fretless; it's a Steinberger.

    Blog text (25)

  • So I started playing a a, you know, without markers or anything, just a blonde neck fretless precision for the the tune songs.

  • This is a long-necked, two-stringed lute, whether fretted or fretless, that is widespread in Central Asia.

    Academic text (2016)

  • The musician showcased his skills by playing a beautiful melody on his fretless bass guitar.

  • Using a fretless instrument, he was able to create unique glissandos that added emotion to the music.

Synonyms

unfretted
vsfretless
  • Specialized
9.9

A string instrument with no metal bars on its fingerboard

has identical meaning but is an alternative adjective form

How Fretted

fretted
  • Specialized
8.1
fretless
  • Specialized
1 7.2

Surface Forms

fretless positive

Morphology

fretless = fret (transparent) = fret + less

Clear negative formation 'without frets' from the noun 'fret' plus productive suffix '-less'.

Etymology

Fretless is made from fret and the ending -less, which means 'without', so it literally means 'without frets'. A fret is a small metal bar on the neck of a guitar or bass, so a fretless instrument has a smooth neck that lets players slide between notes.