bassoon
Americannoun
-
bassoons
plural
noun
-
a woodwind instrument, the tenor of the oboe family. Range: about three and a half octaves upwards from the B flat below the bass staff
-
an orchestral musician who plays the bassoon
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of bassoon
1720–30; < French basson < Italian bassone ( bass ( o ) low ( see base 2) + -one augmentative suffix)
Explanation
A bassoon is a musical instrument with a low, rich tone. A bassoon is like a deep, bass version of an oboe. In the category of woodwind instruments, which have reeds that rest on the musician's lips as she plays, the bassoon is the deepest-sounding. You will probably hear at least one bassoon if you attend a band or orchestral concert. The word bassoon comes from the 17th century French basson, sharing a Latin root with bass — bassus, or "low."
Vocabulary lists containing bassoon
Music to My Ears: Instrumental Vocab
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Musical Instruments - Introductory
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Musical Instruments - Middle School
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
Orson has embarrassing gastric issues and watches alpha-male videos in the basement, where he also practices the bassoon.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 12, 2026
In addition to being named Orson, the lad has chronic gastrointestinal distress and plays the bassoon.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 9, 2026
A daughter of musical parents, soprano Christiane Stutzmann and bass Christian Dupuy, Nathalie learned piano when she was young, then cello and bassoon.
From Seattle Times ● May 4, 2023
“Mythologies” revels in the palpably human effects of an acoustic ensemble: the trembling friction of bows on strings; the exhalations of breath into brasses; the grumble of bassoon, with audible clicks of fingers on keys.
From New York Times ● Apr. 3, 2023
The low howvi howi/i that sounded like a string bass imitating a bassoon meant something the dogs understood and executed.
From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison
His 2023 release, “The Other One”—for which he conducted an ensemble including saxophones, bassoons, strings, percussion and piano—landed on the year-end best-of lists of several classical music critics.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2025
It's a deliciously strange, herky-jerky pop number, orchestrated by synth bassoons and merry-go-round organs.
From BBC ● Feb. 12, 2024
Beautiful bassoons and oboes opened the second movement, the slow poke of the horn a touch too insistent, and Rachlin offered his softer side.
From Washington Post ● Oct. 28, 2022
Wagner built the twilight setting of Act I of “Die Walküre” out of mellow, amber-colored instruments — cellos, bassoons, clarinets, horns.
From New York Times ● Jun. 17, 2022
"May I have flutes, clarinets, oboes—I don't suppose we have any bassoons? Ah! But there is one! Come up, come up!"
From "What the Night Sings" by Vesper Stamper
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
