stradivarius
/ˌstɹædɪˈvɛəɹi.əs/
stradivarius means A stringed instrument built by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari.
stradivarius is pronounced /ˌstɹædɪˈvɛəɹi.əs/.
Why “stradivarius” is a great word
A stringed instrument, especially a violin, crafted by the Italian luthier Antonio Stradivari or his family, upheld as the absolute standard of acoustic perfection. The name is a Latinized form of the Italian surname Stradivari, itself possibly from the Lombard plural stradivare (“toll-man”) or the Cremonese dialect strada averta (“open road”); first attested in English in 1818. Unlike a common 'violin,' a generic instrument of factories and classrooms, or a 'Guarneri,' a rival masterpiece prized for a darker, more fiery voice, a Stradivarius represents the Platonic ideal of the form. It is the alchemy of alpine spruce and maple, carved to a divine geometry; it is the whisper of centuries-old varnish, a lost recipe in the wood's deep pores; it is a sound described as sunlight through stained glass, clear, complex, and carrying. It is an artifact that transcends craft to become the permanent ghost of a specific, unrepeatable moment in time.
Etymology
Named after the Stradivari family (Latin Stradivarius), an Italian surname either from the plural of Lombard stradivare (“toll-man”), or from strada averta (“open road”) in the Cremonese dialect.
noun
- A stringed instrument built by members of the Stradivari family, particularly Antonio Stradivari.
- A violin made by another manufacturer, named to capitalise on the fame of the instruments made by Antonio Stradivari.
- A name invoked as a standard of excellence in unrelated fields.e.g.“A Bath boat is the Stradivarius of destroyers!”
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