中提琴是一种弓弦乐器，其音域比小提琴低完全五度。其空弦从粗到细依序是c-g-d'-a'。音色相较于小提琴、大提琴显得相对隐晦。平时使用中音谱记号（alto clef）记谱，高音域则使用高音谱记号。

在18世纪中叶之前，中提琴只在管弦乐团中使用。之后随着弦乐四重奏的兴盛，成为室内乐中不可或缺的乐器。但当作独奏乐器使用则要一直到18世纪后半。著名的中提琴独奏曲有史塔密兹（C. Stamitz）的《D大调中提琴协奏曲》，白辽士的《哈罗德在意大利 Harold en Italie》等。

The viola (/viˈoʊlə/; Italian pronunciation: [ˈvjɔːla]) is a bowed string instrument. It is slightly larger than a violin in size and has a lower and deeper sound than a violin. Since the 18th century it has been the middle voice of the violin family, between the violin (which is tuned a perfect fifth above it) and the cello (which is tuned an octave below it).