harmonium

American  

[hahr-moh-nee-uhm] / hɑrˈmoʊ ni əm /

noun

1. an organlike keyboard instrument with small metal reeds and a pair of bellows operated by the player's feet.

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harmonium British  

/ hɑːˈməʊnɪəm /

noun

1. a musical keyboard instrument of the reed organ family, in which air from pedal-operated bellows causes the reeds to vibrate

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Etymology

Origin of harmonium

1840–50; Latinization of Greek harmónion, neuter of harmónios harmonious

Example Sentences

As he searched through his papers, his apprentice, Arash Forogh, who was playing backup harmonium, picked up the song’s thread and completed the verse.

From New York Times • Nov. 9, 2023

He showed Reuters video clips of him playing the harmonium and rubab, a string instrument, some of which were on social media.

From Reuters • Nov. 9, 2023

Some of the items set ablaze in Herat included a guitar, a harmonium and a tabla - a kind of drum - as well as amplifiers and speakers, according to images online.

From BBC • Jul. 31, 2023

He did so on a recent Sunday at the Shri Guru Ravidass Sabha in Fresno, California, seated cross-legged on a dais in the temple’s prayer hall playing a harmonium.

From Seattle Times • May 29, 2023

They sit in circles on the floor, singing songs by Nazrul and Tagore, passing a thick yellow clothbound book of lyrics among them as Dilip Nandi plays the harmonium.

From "The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri