ENGLISH
REFERENCE

trumpet

n. countable
A2 Elementary US //ˈtɹəmpət// UK //tɹˈʌmpɪt// trum·pet Slang

n. a loud musical instrument made of metal that you play by blowing into it. It has three buttons that you press to change the notes.

n. a brass musical instrument with a flared bell and three valves, played by blowing into a cup-shaped mouthpiece to produce a bright, piercing tone.


SIMPLE

He plays the trumpet in the school band.

CONTEXTUAL

The jazz musician closed his eyes and played a long, high note on his trumpet.

COMPLEX

While the orchestra tuned their instruments, the lead trumpet player practiced a difficult solo that required precise finger work and strong breath control.

Synonyms
Origin

From Middle English trumpet, trumpette, trompette (“trumpet”), from Old French trompette (“trumpet”), diminutive of trompe (“horn, trump, trumpet”), from Frankish trumpa, trumba (“trumpet”), ultimately imitative. Cognate with Old High German trumpa, trumba (“horn, trumpet”), Middle Dutch tromme (“drum”), Middle Low German trumme (“drum”), Old Norse trumba (“pipe; trumpet”). More at drum. Displaced native English beme, from Middle English beme, from Old English bīeme.

Usage

Commonly used with the definite article 'the' when referring to the instrument in a general or professional sense.

Idioms1 entry

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