What does falsetto mean?
Falsetto is a noun referring to a vocal technique — most often associated with male singers — in which the voice is produced above its normal range, yielding a light, breathy, flute-like timbre quite distinct from the fuller chest voice. Singers use falsetto to reach notes that would otherwise be beyond them, to create contrast within a song, or to achieve an ethereal, floating quality prized in genres ranging from Renaissance church music to modern pop, R&B, and soul. The term can also denote a sound produced in this register. Because it comes from the Italian word for 'false,' the name reflects an old view that this register was somehow artificial compared with natural speech-level singing; today, however, falsetto carries no such negative connotation and is simply recognized as a legitimate, expressive part of a singer's toolkit. Famously associated with artists like the Bee Gees and Prince, it remains one of the most recognizable vocal effects in contemporary music.
nounA method of voice production used by male singers, especially tenors, to sing notes above their normal range, characterized by a light, breathy, flute-like quality. It can also refer to a voice or sound produced in this way.
- A mode of singing above the normal male vocal range, producing a light, flute-like tone.
- A sound or utterance made in this register.
"The singer shifted effortlessly into falsetto for the song's soaring final chorus."
"He hit the impossibly high note by slipping into falsetto."
"The backup singers answered each line in airy falsettos."
The plural is regular and is most commonly used when referring to several singers using the technique or several instances of the sound.
"The arrangement layered three falsettos over the bassline."
Falsetto literally means 'false' in Italian — Renaissance singers considered the high, airy register so unnatural they named it after deception.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of falsetto
Falsetto comes from Italian, where it is the diminutive of falso, meaning 'false' — so the word essentially means 'little false voice.' It entered English in the late 18th century, borrowed from Italian vocal-music terminology. The Italian falso derives from Latin falsus, meaning 'false' or 'deceived,' which also gives English words like falsify and falsehood. The name reflects the historical perception that singing above the natural male register was an artificial, 'false' use of the voice.
Related word forms
How falsetto is actually used
Falsetto is primarily a musical and vocal-technique term. It is typically applied to male voices; the equivalent upper range in female voices is usually described with other terminology (e.g. head voice or whistle register). The word is standard in both formal music writing and casual conversation about popular music.
Easily confused with falsetto
Falsehood means an untrue statement or lie, whereas falsetto refers to a high vocal register used in singing.