play
noun
a dramatic composition or piece; drama.
self-playing
-
a word derived from
play.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In 1897, American inventor Edwin S. Votey invented the “Pianola,” a self-playing piano whose perforated paper rolls functioned much like computer punch cards.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 14, 2026
A self-playing piano lets him fake his way into a job as a restaurant pianist.
From The Guardian ● May 5, 2020
For those too young to remember the 1890s, the self-playing instrument spun out its tunes on an upright piano via precisely placed punch holes on rolls of paper.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2018
He bought an estate with a harbor view on Long Island and a 203-foot yacht, which includes flourishes such as a four-deck-high tree carved from Peruvian mahogany and a rosewood self-playing Steinway baby grand piano.
From Washington Post ● Mar. 17, 2017
Not the least important part of the equipment is a self-playing piano and a good assortment of music.
From Wealth of the World's Waste Places and Oceania by Jewett Castello Gilson
