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Synonyms

accompanist

American  
[uh-kuhm-puh-nist, uh-kuhmp-nist] / əˈkʌm pə nɪst, əˈkʌmp nɪst /
Also accompanyist

noun

  1. Music. a person who plays an accompaniment.


accompanist British  
/ əˈkʌmpəniːɪst, əˈkʌmpnɪst, əˈkʌmpənɪst /

noun

  1. a person who plays a musical accompaniment for another performer, esp a pianist accompanying a singer

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of accompanist

First recorded in 1825–35; accompan(y) + -ist

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Steven Blier was 13 when he discovered his calling as an accompanist.

From The Wall Street Journal Nov. 21, 2025

The crowd roared with every pitch and kept their water bottles to themselves, a worthy accompanist to a team flirting with greatness.

From Los Angeles Times Oct. 11, 2024

Not to be forgotten: associate music director and pianist Riley Brule, who transcends the role of accompanist with a few choice interjections and a sight gag involving a pair of moose antlers.

From Seattle Times Dec. 5, 2023

He had little success at first as a songwriter, but he became a popular arranger and accompanist, touring with Vic Damone, the Ames Brothers and Polly Stewart, who became his first wife.

From Washington Times Feb. 9, 2023

Early that afternoon, Marian and her accompanist, Kosti Vehanen, were driven to the Lincoln Memorial for a brief preconcert visit.

From "The Voice That Challenged a Nation: Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights" by Russell Freedman

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