clarinet
Americannoun
noun
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Obsolete name: clarionet. a keyed woodwind instrument with a cylindrical bore and a single reed. It is a transposing instrument, most commonly pitched in A or B flat
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an orchestral musician who plays the clarinet
Discover More
The most famous American clarinetist was Benny Goodman.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of clarinet
1790–1800; < French clarinette, equivalent to Old French clarin clarion + -ette -ette
Explanation
A clarinet is a woodwind instrument. A clarinet has a simple, straight tube with intricate keys, a single-reed mouthpiece, and a flared, bell-shaped end. When you play the clarinet, you blow through the mouthpiece and make notes with your fingers on the keys. Clarinets are distinctive because they are straight, with a black body and silver keys, and have a large pitch range. The word clarinet comes from the French clarinette, the diminutive form of clarine. "little bell," which comes from clair, "bright or clear."
Vocabulary lists containing clarinet
Musical Instruments - Introductory
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Musical Instruments - Middle School
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Musical Instruments - High School
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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.
Clarinet student Precious Manning, a former student of Pimpleton’s, found solace in having a Black band teacher.
From Seattle Times • Mar. 19, 2023
Clarinet player Tara Allen recalled how the word had been used against her as a child, in a message directed towards Beyoncé's official Twitter account.
From BBC • Aug. 1, 2022
His new Clarinet Concerto got its premiere in Helsinki yesterday, but without Salonen conducting: Though asymptomatic, he has tested positive for COVID-19.
From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 17, 2021
Clarinet mouthpieces wear out, and brass instruments get scratched up when well-meaning parents attempt their own homemade repairs with pliers or wrenches.
From Washington Times • Jun. 3, 2017
Because Clarinet charges for its service, not all host systems carry its articles.
From Big Dummy's Guide to the Internet by Electronic Frontier Foundation
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.
