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Definition of ukulele

ukulele

/ˌjuːkəˈleɪli/
u · ku · le · le
Plural:ukuleles
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ukulele Lexical Profile

ukulele Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A small, four-stringed musical instrument of Hawaiian origin that belongs to the lute family and resembles a small acoustic guitar.

Example

"She sat by the campfire and strummed a cheerful melody on her ukulele."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for ukulele

• Rhymes for ukulele

• Nearby Words

ukiah
ukraine
ukrainian
ukulele
ulaanbaatar
ulan-ude
ulcer

Word Origin & Etymology

From Hawaiian ʻukulele, literally meaning 'jumping flea' (from ʻuku 'louse, flea' + lele 'to jump, fly'), likely referring to the rapid, lively motion of the player's fingers on the fretboard.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Ukulele. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/ukulele
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