n. & adj.
n. 1 a the lowest adult male singing voice. b a singer with this voice. c a part written for it. 2 the lowest part in harmonized music. 3 a an instrument that is the lowest in pitch in its family. b its player. 4 colloq. a a bass guitar or double-bass. b its player. 5 the low-frequency output of a radio, record-player, etc., corresponding to the bass in music.
adj. 1 lowest in musical pitch. 2 deep-sounding. bass clef a clef placing F below middle C on the second highest line of the staff. bass viol 1 a a viola da gamba. b its player. 2 US a double-bass. bassist n. (in sense 4).
[ alt. of BASE(2) after It. basso ]