Word
clarinet
Phoneticsclar·inet
US/ˌkɫɛɹəˈnɛt/
UK/klˌæɹənˈɛt/
Definition
n. a musical instrument that looks like a long black tube. You play it by blowing into a mouthpiece and pressing keys with your fingers.
n. a woodwind instrument with a single-reed mouthpiece, a cylindrical tube, and a flared bell. Typically made of African blackwood or plastic, it features a series of holes and keys to control pitch.
Examples
“She plays the clarinet in the school band.”
“The orchestra's lead clarinet player performed a beautiful solo during the second movement of the symphony.”
“While the clarinet is a staple of the modern wind ensemble, its unique timbre also made it a foundational instrument in early jazz and swing music.”
Examples
simple
“She plays the clarinet in the school band.”
contextual
“The orchestra's lead clarinet player performed a beautiful solo during the second movement of the symphony.”
complex
“While the clarinet is a staple of the modern wind ensemble, its unique timbre also made it a foundational instrument in early jazz and swing music.”
Usage
Takes the definite article 'the' when referring to the instrument as a general skill or role.
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian clarinetto, diminutive of clarino (“trumpet”) (as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet), from Latin clarus. Alternatively, the word may come from French clarinette, diminutive form of clarine (“bell”), from clarin, from clair (“clear”), from Latin clarus.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Scan code
englishreference.com/q/clarinet