instrumentation
Americannoun
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the arranging of music for instruments, especially for an orchestra.
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the list of instruments for which a composition is scored.
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the use of, or work done by, instruments.
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instrumental agency; instrumentality.
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the science of developing, manufacturing, and utilizing instruments, especially those used in science and industry.
noun
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the instruments specified in a musical score or arrangement
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the arrangement of a piece of music for an orchestra; orchestration
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the study of the characteristics of musical instruments
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the use of instruments or tools
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means; agency
Etymology
Origin of instrumentation
1835–45; instrument (v.) + -ation
Vocabulary lists containing instrumentation
Music - Introductory
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Music - Middle School
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Music - 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.
Whatever combination of instrumentation and samples the trio is working with and whatever oblong shape their compositions assume, you can always hear structure.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026
Bettan delivers his song, a lovestruck ballad called Michelle, with sincerity and passion, nimbly moving into his falsetto over a mix of electronic beats and Middle Eastern instrumentation.
From BBC ● May 15, 2026
"The instrumentation we needed doesn't exist in most places," Cathy said.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 1, 2026
“If we didn’t have any instrumentation, we could have launched something great that showed up wonderful on video, but we wouldn’t know if it performed well.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 31, 2026
After students explore and group instruments, they can develop their own instrumentation for a piece, then vary it.
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
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.
