ukulele

or u·ke·le·le

[ yoo-kuh-ley-lee; Hawaiian. oo-koo-ley-ley ]
/ ˌyu kəˈleɪ li; Hawaiian. ˌu kʊˈleɪ leɪ /

noun

a small, guitarlike musical instrument associated chiefly with Hawaiian music.

Origin of ukulele

1895–1900, Americanism; < Hawaiian ʿukulele leaping flea ( ʿuku flea + lele to jump, leap), a nickname given to British army officer Edward Purvis (who popularized the instrument at the court of King Kalakaua), in reference to his lively playing style

Words nearby ukulele

ukiyo-e, ukr., ukraina, ukraine, ukrainian, ukulele, ul, ulama, ulan, ulan bator, ulan ude

Example sentences from the Web for ukulele

British Dictionary definitions for ukulele

ukulele

ukelele

/ (ˌjuːkəˈleɪlɪ) /

noun

a small four-stringed guitar, esp of Hawaii

Word Origin for ukulele

C19: from Hawaiian, literally: jumping flea, from `uku flea + lele jumping

Cultural definitions for ukulele

ukulele
[ (yooh-kuh-lay-lee) ]

A small guitar, developed in Hawaii, with four strings.