Illustration of mandolin
- mandolin 1
mandolin
noun
man·do·lin
ˌman-də-ˈlin 
ˈman-də-lən
variants
or less commonly mandoline
ˌman-də-ˈlēn
ˈman-də-lən
1
: a musical instrument of the lute family that has a usually pear-shaped body and fretted neck and four to six pairs of strings
2
usually mandoline
[French, from Italian mandolino mandolin]
: a kitchen utensil with a blade for slicing and shredding
Examples of mandolin in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
With Mike Witcher on dobro and Ethan Ballinger on mandolin, guitar, and harmony vocals, the Luke Bulla Trio gave a commanding performance that well-deserved its standing ovations, the news release stated.
—
Del Mar Foundation, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2025
My background is so much in bluegrass, and bluegrass is all about that choppy kind of backbeat thing with the mandolin.
—Tom Roland, Billboard, 8 Apr. 2025
Cruz had been playing guitar for years — and also knows how to play the piano and mandolin.
—Marina Watts, People.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Her soft-focus voice floats over trilling mandolin picking and reserved fiddle.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 10 Mar. 2025
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Del Mar Foundation, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Mar. 2025
My background is so much in bluegrass, and bluegrass is all about that choppy kind of backbeat thing with the mandolin.
—Tom Roland, Billboard, 8 Apr. 2025
Cruz had been playing guitar for years — and also knows how to play the piano and mandolin.
—Marina Watts, People.com, 14 Mar. 2025
Her soft-focus voice floats over trilling mandolin picking and reserved fiddle.
—Jessica Nicholson, Billboard, 10 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for mandolin
Cite this Entry
“Mandolin.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mandolin. Accessed 23 Apr. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mandolin
noun
man·do·lin
ˌman-də-ˈlin
ˈman-dᵊl-ən
variants
also mandoline
ˌman-də-ˈlēn
ˈman-dᵊl-ən
: a stringed instrument with a pear-shaped body and four to six pairs of strings played by plucking
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