sax

¹ American  

[saks] / sæks /

noun

Informal.

1. saxophone.

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sax ² American  

[saks] / sæks /

noun

1. a short, single-edged sword of ancient Scandinavia.

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Sax. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. Saxon.

2. Saxony.

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sax ¹ British  

/ sæks /

noun

1. a tool resembling a small axe, used for cutting roofing slate

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sax ² British  

/ sæks /

noun

1. informal short for saxophone

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Etymology

Origin of sax¹

By shortening

Origin of sax²

before 900; Middle English sexe, Old English seax, sæx; cognate with Old Norse sax ( Swedish, Danish sax scissors). See saw ¹

Example Sentences

Kirk follows the same trajectory—the entire sax section playing harmony together on the head, but only one horn playing the single notes on the solo portion.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 1, 2026

As Les Paul said, if you’re a pianist, you’re stuck behind the piano, and if you play the sax, you can’t play and sing at the same time.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 19, 2025

“Even after fifty years, the memory of what it took to record the sax solo to ‘Jungleland’ makes his eyes widen and his mouth drop open,” Carlin writes.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 4, 2025

Joining the group with her 10 siblings, Flores started on the sax before becoming a vocalist.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 20, 2024

You don’t expect to hear rock and roll guitar in Shostakovich or a bluesy sax solo in Bartok, even though these composers would have heard both, often, during their working lives.

From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall