ˈbeɪs
plural basses
music
1
: low and deep sound : the lowest range of sounds used in music
Turn down the treble on your radio and turn up the bass.
The song has a loud/heavy/booming bass.
2
: the lowest male singing voice
He sings with/in a deep bass.
also
: a singer who has such a voice
He's a bass.
3
a
: a kind of guitar that usually has four strings and that makes low sounds
an electric/acoustic bass
She plays (the) bass.
a bass player
called also bass guitar
b
always used before a noun
: having or indicating a low sound or range
his deep bass voice
the sound of the bass drum
a bass clarinet
the bass clef
ˈbæs
plural bass
: a kind of fish that people catch for food
She caught three bass.
We had bass for dinner.
Cite this Entry
“Bass.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/bass. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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