ukulele

noun

uku·​le·​le ˌyü-kə-ˈlā-lē 

ˌü-

variants or less commonly ukelele

: a small guitar of Portuguese origin popularized in Hawaii in the 1880s and strung typically with four strings

Illustration of ukulele

Examples of ukulele in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At a hospital, emergency supplies are lined up against a wall made of leaves: bandages, rubber gloves, rubbing alcohol — and a ukulele. —Hannah Beech Adam Ferguson, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2024

The family’s belongings were used to craft the space and included wash basins, children’s books and toys, an ukulele, and a Knox The Hatter hat box with a handwritten label indicating that the headpiece inside was for the Kentucky Derby. —Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 18 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Hawaiian ʽukulele, from ʽuku flea + lele jumping

First Known Use

1896, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

ukulele

noun

uku·​le·​le

ˌyü-kə-ˈlā-lē,

ˌü-

: a usually four-stringed small guitar popularized in Hawaii

Etymology

from Hawaiian ʽukulele "ukulele," literally, "jumping flea," from ʽuku "flea" + lele "jumping"

Word Origin

In the 19th century, a former British army officer named Edward Purvis lived in Hawaii as an official at the royal court. Purvis is said to have been given the Hawaiian nickname of ʽukulele, which means "jumping flea," because he was small and lively. In 1879 Portuguese immigrants arrived in the Hawaiian Islands. They brought several of their native instruments, among them a small four-stringed guitar. Purvis liked this new instrument. He quickly learned to play it. In time the small guitar became a favorite, and it took the nickname of the man who had made it popular.