Geige

Geige [MHGer. *gîge], Ger.: nowadays a familiar name for the violin in the same sense that “fiddle” designates a violin in Engl. From late med. times to the baroque, Geige denoted a rebec or a bowed instr. with lateral tuning pegs. The terms kleine Geige and Grossgeige were used to designate the viola da braccio and the viola da gamba, respectively. See also: gîge, gigle, gigue, Grossgeige, kleine Geige, polnische Geige, violin.