contrabassoon

[ kon-truh-ba-soon, -buh- ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

a bassoon larger in size and an octave lower in pitch than the ordinary bassoon; a double bassoon.

contrabassoon

/ ˌkɒntrəbəˈsuːn /

noun

the largest instrument in the oboe family, pitched an octave below the bassoon; double bassoon

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Derived Forms

ˌcontrabasˈsoonist, noun

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Other Words From

contra·bas·soonist noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of contrabassoon¹

First recorded in 1890–95; contra- ²( def ) + bassoon

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Example Sentences

The performances also feature long stretches with two bass players and, aside from Coltrane’s saxophones, there are musicians bringing in the unusual-for-jazz timbres of the oboe, bass clarinet and contrabassoon.

From Washington Post

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