saxophone

American  

[sak-suh-fohn] / ˈsæk səˌfoʊn /

noun

1. a musical wind instrument consisting of a conical, usually brass tube with keys or valves and a mouthpiece with one reed.

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saxophone British  

/ ˈsæksəˌfəʊn, sækˈsɒfənɪst, ˌsæksəˈfɒnɪk /

noun

1. Often shortened to: sax.  a keyed wind instrument of mellow tone colour, used mainly in jazz and dance music. It is made in various sizes, has a conical bore, and a single reed

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saxophone Cultural  

1. A wind instrument classified as a woodwind because it is played with a reed, although it is usually made of metal. Saxophones appear mainly in jazz, dance, and military bands. They are made in several ranges, from soprano to bass.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• saxophonist
  noun
• saxophonic
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of saxophone

1850–55; Sax ( see saxhorn) + -o- + -phone

Explanation

A saxophone is a brass instrument that you play by blowing into a mouthpiece and pressing keys to form musical notes. John Coltrane and Charlie Parker (and Lisa Simpson :) were famous saxophone players. Saxophones are similar to instruments like clarinets, because both use a reed mouthpiece and are considered woodwinds. The saxophone, however, also qualifies as a brass instrument, like the trumpet and the tuba, since it's made out of brass and makes sound through vibrations inside the instrument's body. The word saxophone comes from Antoine Joseph Sax, the Belgian inventor of the saxophone. Sax's father, also named Sax, invented the less successful saxhorn.

Example Sentences

Hearing Hawkins’s recording of “Body and Soul” as a fourth-grader had been a turning point for Rollins musically and eventually lead him to switch from alto to tenor saxophone.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 26, 2026

Legendary Jazz musician Sonny Rollins, who was known as the "saxophone colossus", has died aged 95.

From BBC • May 26, 2026

He also recorded three albums — “Way Out West,” “A Night at the Village Vanguard” and “The Freedom Suite” — using the innovative lineup of tenor saxophone, bass and drums, omitting any chord-producing instrument.

From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026

Among the missing are Angus the bassist, Phyllis the mail-delivering puppet, Holstein, who was holding an intricate saxophone prop, and Dumont, who had a television stand.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2026

Although he’s shy, when he has a saxophone in his hands, his confidence is otherworldly.

From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold