Ellington

American  

[el-ing-tuhn] / ˈɛl ɪŋ tən /

noun

1. Edward Kennedy Duke, 1899–1974, U.S. jazz pianist, composer, arranger, and conductor.

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Ellington British  

/ ˈɛlɪŋtən /

noun

1. Duke, nickname of Edward Kennedy Ellington. 1899–1974, US jazz composer, pianist, and conductor, famous for such works as "Mood Indigo" and "Creole Love Call"

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Example Sentences

I didn’t mind that Davis sings “Fallin’,” as Ellington has a voice of luscious thunder.

From Los Angeles Times • May 30, 2026

As the liner notes explain, Dylan is the third-most popular covered songwriter ever, outranked only by The Beatles and Duke Ellington.

From Salon • Feb. 24, 2026

Bridgewater: I’m here in town at Birdland with Bill Charlap and we are doing songs from the American Songbook primarily and Duke Ellington.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 29, 2026

No jazz composer was better prepared for this shift than Ellington.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

Together they chose a record with a picture on the front of a man named Duke Ellington playing the piano.

From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser