clarinet

[ klar-uh-net ]

/ ˌklær əˈnɛt /

Save This Word!

noun

a woodwind instrument in the form of a cylindrical tube with a single reed attached to its mouthpiece.

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of clarinet

1790–1800; <French clarinette, equivalent to Old French clarinclarion + -ette-ette

OTHER WORDS FROM clarinet

clar·i·net·ist, clar·i·net·tist, noun

Words nearby clarinet

Clarice, clarificant, clarification, clarify, Clarinda, clarinet, clarino, clarion, Clarissa, clarity, Clark

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use clarinet in a sentence

Bennie Maupin played tenor saxophone, flute and bass clarinet, and is the last surviving musician from that group.
Lee Morgan’s ‘Live at the Lighthouse’ was a masterpiece that turned out to be a farewell|Shannon J. Effinger|August 27, 2021|Washington Post
The last time I played clarinet with my band was on March 10, 2020.
What science tells us about reducing coronavirus spread from wind instruments|Betsy Ladyzhets|August 6, 2021|Science News
What’s more, small differences between clarinet players’ techniques can have a big impact on the speeds and concentrations of aerosols that players release.
What science tells us about reducing coronavirus spread from wind instruments|Betsy Ladyzhets|August 6, 2021|Science News
Wind instruments — brasses as well as woodwinds like my clarinet — produce sound through human breath.
What science tells us about reducing coronavirus spread from wind instruments|Betsy Ladyzhets|August 6, 2021|Science News

This seems wacky until you see him on a boat with his clarinet, spinning out satiny loops of sound that do sound enticingly whale-like.
The Loneliest Whale Brings Us on an Invigorating Search for an Elusive Creature of the Deep|Stephanie Zacharek|July 9, 2021|Time
I suddenly became aware of a harmonica and a clarinet playing a weird, harmonious message.
My Wonderful Visit|Charlie Chaplin
He reappeared while Siebel, with the voice of a clarinet, was beginning to tell the flowers what they were to say to Margherita.
Castellinaria|Henry Festing Jones
The clarinet has a mouthpiece containing a reed similar to that made by cutting a tongue on a straw or quill.
Physics|Willis Eugene Tower
The length of the vibrating air column in the clarinet is changed by opening holes in the sides of the tube.
Physics|Willis Eugene Tower
At length contra-bass and the two bassoons gather themselves together for a new effort and the clarinet has time to take a rest.
The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven, Volume II (of 3)|Alexander Wheelock Thayer

British Dictionary definitions for clarinet

clarinet

/ (ˌklærɪˈnɛt) /

noun music

a keyed woodwind instrument with a cylindrical bore and a single reed. It is a transposing instrument, most commonly pitched in A or B flatObsolete name: clarionet (ˌklærɪəˈnɛt)

an orchestral musician who plays the clarinet

Derived forms of clarinet

clarinettist or clarinetist, noun

Word Origin for clarinet

C18: from French clarinette, probably from Italian clarinetto, from clarino trumpet

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

Cultural definitions for clarinet

clarinet

A woodwind instrument, usually made of black wood or plastic, and played with a single reed. The clarinet has extensive use in Dixieland, jazz, and military music, as well as in classical music.

notes for clarinet

The most famous American clarinetist was Benny Goodman.