sousaphone

American  

[soo-zuh-fohn, -suh-] / ˈsu zəˌfoʊn, -sə- /

noun

1. a form of bass tuba, similar to the helicon, used in brass bands.

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sousaphone British  

/ ˈsuːzəˌfəʊn /

noun

1. music a large tuba that encircles the player's body and has a bell facing forwards

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sousaphone Cultural  

1. A kind of tuba that wraps around the player's body so that it can be carried easily while marching.

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Discover More

The sousaphone is named after the bandmaster John Philip Sousa, who suggested building the instrument in this shape.

Other Word Forms

• sousaphonist
  noun

Etymology

Origin of sousaphone

1920–25; named after J. P. Sousa; see -phone

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sousaphone

What better way to announce your presence than with the boom boom of the sousaphone?

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 18, 2025

The tuba usually used in marching bands, the sousaphone, is one of the few instruments a player wears.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2025

The two were trying to find the spot where the sousaphone would throw off the most shadow.

From New York Times ● May 27, 2022

Allan Jaffe, who died in 1987, also played sousaphone in the house band and recruited musicians while Sandra Jaffe typed up nightly schedules and collected admission fees, The Times-Picayune / The New Orleans Advocate reported.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 29, 2021

Universal's fundamental method for the tuba and sousaphone.

From U.S. Copyright Renewals, 1970 July - December by Library of Congress. Copyright Office