In the past, the viola varied in size and style, as did its names. The word viola originates from the Italian language. The Italians often used the term: viola da braccio meaning literally: 'of the arm'. "Brazzo" was another Italian word for the viola, which the Germans adopted as "Bratsche". The French had their own names: "cinquiesme" was a small viola, "haute contre" was a large viola, and "taile" was a tenor. Today, the French use the term "alto", a reference to its range.