sackbut

[sak-buht]

noun

1. a medieval form of the trombone.

2. Bible.,  an ancient stringed musical instrument. Daniel 3.

sackbut

/ ˈsækˌbʌt /

noun

1. a medieval form of trombone

Word History and Origins

Origin of sackbut¹

First recorded in 1530–40; Early Modern English sagbut, sagbot, sagbout, from Middle French saquebute, from Old North French saqueboute, saquebot(t)e originally, a kind of hooked lance, equivalent to saquier “to pull” + (possibly) bouter “to push”; saccade, butt ³

Word History and Origins

Origin of sackbut¹

C16: from French saqueboute, from Old French saquer to pull + bouter to push; see _butt ³: used in the Bible (Daniel 3) as a mistranslation of Aramaic sabb'ka stringed instrument

Example Sentences

This will not be Monteverdi as we have heard him; there will be nary a period instrument in sight, neither a harpsichord nor a sackbut, a theorbo nor a cornett.

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Apart from fine work by those playing strings and especially the trombone-like sackbuts, the performances had serious flaws, mainly stemming from the work of a few singers well past their prime.

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Mr. Savall assembled a Renaissance big band of 24 players, wielding cornetto, shawms, dulcians and sackbuts as well as ancient and newer strings, and a cast of six singers and two actors.

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In truth, the differences appear minimal to all but the specialist for whom the substitution of tenor cornett for alto sackbut is a matter of concern.

Read more on The Guardian

Reed instruments for dance and song; Brave horns beneath the blue; The sistrum and the thunder-gong; The pipe and tabour, too; And all the craft of minstrelsy: Harp, sackbut, cymbal, psaltery, Were fashioned.

Read more on Project Gutenberg