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ophicleide

[of-i-klahyd]
noun
  1. a musical wind instrument, a development of the old wooden serpent, consisting of a conical metal tube bent double.
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Origin of ophicleide

1825–35; < French ophicléide < Greek óphi(s) serpent + kleid- (stem of kleís) key (akin to Latin clavis; see clavicle)
Related formsoph·i·clei·de·an, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for ophicleide

Historical Examples of ophicleide

  • Neither saxophone nor ophicleide was necessary for him to fill the soul with awe.

    The Pianolist

    Gustav Kobb

  • Those who played the trombone and the ophicleide blew till their thick lips swelled, and seemed to cover up the mouthpieces.

    Brought Forward

    R. B. Cunninghame Graham

  • Originally these tones were played by the Ophicleide or Serpent (now obsolete).

    Music: An Art and a Language

    Walter Raymond Spalding

  • Ophicleide, of′i-klīd, n. a large bass trumpet, with a deep pitch.

  • The application of keys to the bugle produced the Kent bugle, and later the ophicleide.

British Dictionary definitions for ophicleide

ophicleide

noun
  1. music an obsolete keyed wind instrument of bass pitch
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Word Origin for ophicleide

C19: from French ophiclēide, from Greek ophis snake + kleis key
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012