Word
saxophone
Phoneticssax·o·phone
US/ˈsæksəˌfoʊn/
UK/sˈæksəfˌəʊn/
Definitions
01musical instrument
n. a metal musical instrument that you play by blowing into a mouthpiece with a reed.
n. a woodwind instrument made of brass with a single-reed mouthpiece and a curved body.
“He started learning the saxophone because he loved listening to jazz records.”
“The soloist stepped forward, the golden bell of his saxophone catching the stage lights as he began a complex improvisation.”
Synonyms
02a player
n. a person who plays the saxophone.
n. a musician who performs on the saxophone; a saxophonist.
“The band is looking for a new saxophone to join them for the summer tour.”
“The lead saxophone delivered a blistering solo that earned a standing ovation from the crowded club.”
Informal
Synonyms
03to play the instrument
v. to play music on a saxophone.
v. to perform music using a saxophone; often used in a casual or descriptive sense.
“She spent the whole afternoon saxophoning in her room to prepare for the concert.”
“He spent his weekends saxophoning in the subway, earning just enough in tips to cover his monthly reed expenses.”
Informal
Etymology
Borrowed from French saxophone, a combination of the surname of its inventor Adolphe Sax (1814–1894) + -o- + -phone (“something that makes a sound”), from Ancient Greek φωνή (phōnḗ, “sound, voice”). The first element surname is a variant of the German Sachs (“Saxon”). Analyzable as Sax + -o- + -phone.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.