Also called steam organ. a musical instrument consisting of a set of harsh-sounding steam whistles that are activated by a keyboard.
(initial capital letter) Also Kalliope the Muse of heroic poetry.
1855–60, < Latin < Greek Kalliópē, equivalent to kalli- calli- + op- (stem of óps ) voice + -ē feminine ending
A calliope is an old-fashioned, steam powered musical instrument. While a calliope is played using a piano keyboard, the sound is so loud it can often be heard from miles away. During the Industrial Revolution, steam was used to power all sorts of things, from trains to riverboats to circus carousels. Calliopes were invented as a perfect accompaniment to this "age of steam." Calliopes were known for their loud, harsh tones that sound very similar to train whistles. Even though no one would argue that a calliope sounds lovely, the name comes from the beautiful-voiced Greek Muse Kalliope.
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She also was known for portraying dressmaker Calliope Jones on “Days of Our Lives.”
From Seattle Times • Sep. 1, 2023
In addition to originating the voice of Harley Quinn, Sorkin was known for portraying dressmaker Calliope Jones on “Days of Our Lives.”
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 27, 2023
He handed her an issue of Gaiman’s epic “The Sandman” that features the muse Calliope.
From Washington Post • Dec. 24, 2022
"Writers are liars, my dear," Fry pompously tells Calliope after she reminds him that he agreed to free her at the end of his life.
From Salon • Aug. 26, 2022
Calliope was our eyes on the horizon, and without her, it seems the horizon is gone.
From "Challenger Deep" by Neal Shusterman
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.
