bass

UK: beɪs | US: beɪs

Definition

  1. n. (music) The lowest adult male singing voice or its range.

  2. n. (music) A bass instrument (e.g., bass guitar).

  3. n. (fish) A type of freshwater or marine fish (e.g., largemouth bass).

Structure

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Etymology

The word "bass" is a homograph with two distinct origins:

  • For music, it traces to Latin bassus, meaning "thick or low," reflecting the deep pitch.
  • For the fish, it evolved from Middle English bars (a type of perch), later influenced by the musical term due to phonetic overlap.
Examples

  1. The bass line in this song is incredibly powerful.

  2. He plays the bass in a jazz band.

  3. We caught a large bass while fishing in the lake.

  4. Her voice ranges from soprano to bass.

  5. Striped bass are common in coastal waters.