mouth organ

American  

noun

1. harmonica.

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mouth organ British  

noun

1. another name for harmonica

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Etymology

Origin of mouth organ

First recorded in 1660–70

Example Sentences

Her lovingly sly Haydn-esque wit came out in the premiere of “Nest Box,” a duo for her and Wu Wei on sheng, the Chinese mouth organ.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 12, 2025

Phil Lindberg’s magnetometer moment involved the aforementioned mouth organ.

From Washington Post • Oct. 25, 2021

In Unsuk Chin’s “Su,” the beaming tones of the sheng, a Chinese mouth organ, create delicate, droning chords at the beginning, often paired with strings.

From New York Times • Sep. 6, 2018

As a teenager, Gen. Rowny performed in a Baltimore harmonica band alongside the mouth organ virtuoso Larry Adler.

From Washington Post • Dec. 18, 2017

“But I thought you might have the mouth organ or something.”

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling