pibroch

[ pee-brokh ]

/ ˈpi brɒx /

noun

(in the Scottish Highlands) a piece of music for the bagpipe, consisting of a series of variations on a basic theme, usually martial in character, but sometimes used as a dirge.

Nearby words

piazzi, piazzi, giuseppe, pibal, pibgorn, piblokto, pibroch, pic, pica, picabia, picadillo, picador

Origin of pibroch

1710–20; < Scots Gaelic piobaireachd piper music, equivalent to piobair piper (piob pipe¹ + -air agent suffix ≪ Latin -ārius -ary) + -eachd noun suffix denoting quality or state

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for pibroch

At the same instant the faint strains of the pibroch were gently wafted to her embattled tower.
Count Bunker|J. Storer Clouston
The pibroch ended with its wild sad notes of wailing, and slowly the mist cleared from her eyes, and the stage was empty.
All Roads Lead to Calvary|Jerome K. Jerome
I have told Donald what pibroch he will play; I want to be at peace now.
Macleod of Dare|William Black
The pibroch said to have been composed by Helen MacGregor is still in existence.
Rob Roy, Complete, Illustrated|Sir Walter Scott

Usually applied to a set piece in the form now commonly called a pibroch.
Gairloch In North-West Ross-Shire|John H. Dixon, F.S.A. Scot

British Dictionary definitions for pibroch

pibroch

/ (ˈpiːbrɒk, Gaelic ˈpiːbrɒx) /

noun

a form of music for Scottish bagpipes, consisting of a theme and variations

a piece of such music

Word Origin for pibroch

C18: from Gaelic piobaireachd, from piobair piper

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