English horn

American  

noun

1. a large oboe, a fifth lower in pitch than the ordinary oboe, having a pear-shaped bell and producing a mellow tone.

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English horn British  

noun

1. music another name for cor anglais

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Etymology

Origin of English horn

First recorded in 1830–40

Compare meaning

How does english-horn compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• English horn vs. French horn

Example Sentences

Pedro R. Díaz played the haunting English horn solos—in costume in the tunnel—embodying the lifelong mourning that torments Tristan.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

He largely taught himself to play the oboe and English horn, using a book that showed the fingerings.

From New York Times • May 12, 2023

Kudos to them all, particularly to the eloquent English horn of Stefan Farkas, whose solo passages added so much to the atmosphere of longing and heartbreak.

From Seattle Times • Oct. 17, 2022

Phil celebrated Kraft’s upcoming 80th birthday in 2003 by commissioning a Concerto for English Horn and Orchestra, “The Grand Encounter,” written for the orchestra’s English horn player, Carolyn Hove, and conducted by Salonen.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 17, 2022

The English horn, double-bassoon, bass clarinet, and piccolo are not called for in the older compositions, hence are not always present in the orchestra.

From Music Notation and Terminology by Gehrkens, Karl Wilson