saxophone

[ sak-suh-fohn ]

noun
  1. a musical wind instrument consisting of a conical, usually brass tube with keys or valves and a mouthpiece with one reed.

Origin of saxophone

1
1850–55; Sax (see saxhorn) + -o- + -phone

Other words from saxophone

  • sax·o·phon·ic [sak-suh-fon-ik], /ˌsæk səˈfɒn ɪk/, adjective
  • sax·o·phon·ist, noun

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British Dictionary definitions for saxophone

saxophone

/ (ˈsæksəˌfəʊn) /


noun
  1. a keyed wind instrument of mellow tone colour, used mainly in jazz and dance music. It is made in various sizes, has a conical bore, and a single reed: Often shortened to: sax

Origin of saxophone

1
C19: named after Adolphe Sax (1814–94), Belgian musical-instrument maker, who invented it (1846)

Derived forms of saxophone

  • saxophonic (ˌsæksəˈfɒnɪk), adjective
  • saxophonist (sækˈsɒfənɪst), noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for saxophone

saxophone

A wind instrument classified as a woodwind because it is played with a reed, although it is usually made of metal. Saxophones appear mainly in jazz, dance, and military bands. They are made in several ranges, from soprano to bass.

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.