harmonica

[ hahr-mon-i-kuh ]

noun

1. Also called mouth organ. a musical wind instrument consisting of a small rectangular case containing a set of metal reeds connected to a row of holes, over which the player places the mouth and exhales and inhales to produce the tones.
2. any of various percussion instruments that use graduated bars of metal or other hard material as sounding elements.

harmonica

/ hɑːˈmɒnɪkə /

noun

1. Also calledmouth organ a small wind instrument of the reed organ family in which reeds of graduated lengths set into a metal plate enclosed in a narrow oblong box are made to vibrate by blowing and sucking
2. See glass harmonica
   See glass harmonica

Word History and Origins

Origin of harmonica¹

Noun use of feminine of Latin harmonicus harmonic; in the form armonica (< Italian < Latin ) applied by Benjamin Franklin in 1762 to a set of musical glasses; later used of other instruments

Word History and Origins

Origin of harmonica¹

C18: from Latin harmonicus relating to harmony

Example Sentences

Bob Dylan sounded like the Declaration of Independence—with a harmonica and guitar.

From Time

He was learning to play the harmonica and realized the best way to get better is to always have one about your person.

From Washington Post

McIlwaine played the harmonica, accompanied herself on the piano and sang her own songs with a voice that was by turns delicate and booming, echoing through the Gaslight Cafe and Cafe Au Go Go in Greenwich Village.

From Washington Post

Her voice is strong and full of full of character; her harmonica playing swift and powerful.

From The Daily Beast

He stands in the middle of the sidewalk, eyes closed, head tilted to one side, the harmonica cupped in his hands.

From The Daily Beast

From a second-story window of a rooming house covered with red brick-patterned tarpaper comes the sound of a blues harmonica.

From The Daily Beast

Then he pulled a harmonica out of his pocket and played a song for his friend.

From The Daily Beast

"High pitched vocals and/or harmonica provide all the inspiration he needs," Geoff writes.

From The Daily Beast

Tom had his harmonica and it seemed the fire gave him inspiration for he played until the others begged for mercy.

From Project Gutenberg

The next source from which we learn anything of this part of the subject is the pseudo-Euclidean Introductio Harmonica.

From Project Gutenberg

I suddenly became aware of a harmonica and a clarinet playing a weird, harmonious message.

From Project Gutenberg

An instrument that is interesting rather than handsome is the glass harmonica shown in Figure 90.

From Project Gutenberg

The harmonica was at that moment playing at a distance in tones that perfectly synchronized the movements made by Eusapia.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• harp