harmonica

American  

[hahr-mon-i-kuh] / hɑrˈmɒn ɪ kə /

noun

• harmonicas
  plural

1. Also called mouth organ. a musical wind instrument consisting of a small rectangular case containing a set of metal reeds connected to a row of holes, over which the player places the mouth and exhales and inhales to produce the tones.

2. any of various percussion instruments that use graduated bars of metal or other hard material as sounding elements.

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harmonica British  

/ hɑːˈmɒnɪkə /

noun

1. Also called: mouth organ. a small wind instrument of the reed organ family in which reeds of graduated lengths set into a metal plate enclosed in a narrow oblong box are made to vibrate by blowing and sucking

2. See glass harmonica

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• harmonicas
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of harmonica

Noun use of feminine of Latin harmonicus harmonic; in the form armonica (< Italian < Latin ) applied by Benjamin Franklin in 1762 to a set of musical glasses; later used of other instruments

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Explanation

A harmonica is a musical instrument that's small enough to fit in your pocket. Harmonicas are especially popular in blues bands. Harmonicas have between 10 and 16 small holes, each with a small reed behind it. Players blow through one or more of the holes, changing the sound by pulling air at times instead, altering the shape and tension of the mouth, and by opening and closing their hands around the harmonica. Using these methods, great harmonica players can extract beautiful, complex sounds from this tiny instrument. The Greek root of harmonica is harmonikos, "musical."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

harmonica harmonicas

The pair smuggled a harmonica and a set of small bells during the Gemini 6A mission.

From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026

In addition to drums, Ranken played the harmonica and provided vocals for the group.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 11, 2026

An example of a highly creative response includes words like "galaxy, fork, freedom, algae, harmonica, quantum, nostalgia, velvet, hurricane, photosynthesis."

From Science Daily ● Jan. 25, 2026

He played the blues harmonica between dives and told me he had learned to act at the Jewish community center in the Bronx.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 7, 2026

He rubbed a tin harmonica across his knee.

From "The Heart is a Lonely Hunter" by Carson McCullers

About 80 guitars are included in the auction, alongside amplifiers, gold and silver records, posters, memorabilia and a collection of harmonicas.

From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2026

On Venus, sounds that are caused by solid objects vibrating, like harmonicas or reed organ pipes, would be pitched down because the atmosphere is dense and soupy.

From Salon ● Jun. 3, 2025

After his time in the restaurant business, Hurtado sold toys for a living, including cheap harmonicas.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2022

And when a small army of harmonicas gently peeked out from behind the work’s often mournful textures, they glimmered delicately.

From New York Times ● Oct. 21, 2021

The torches were ground out under foot, after which the Tramp Club played “Home Sweet Home” on the harmonicas.

From The Meadow-Brook Girls Across Country The Young Pathfinders on a Summer Hike by Janet Aldridge

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Related Words

• harp

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