Tin Pan Alley

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noun

the district of a city, especially New York City, where most of the popular music is published.

the composers or publishers of popular music as a group.

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Words nearby Tin Pan Alley

tinnitus, tinny, tin-opener, Tínos, tin-pan, Tin Pan Alley, tin-panning, tin pants, tin parachute, tin pest, tin plate

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Tin Pan Alley in a sentence

While the beans are cooling and drying, melt the butter in a saute pan over medium heat.
Make Carla Hall’s Crispy Shallot Green Bean Casserole|Carla Hall|December 27, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Remove the roast from the pan and let rest for a minimum of 15 minutes.
Make Carla Hall’s Roasted Pork Loin With Cranberries|Carla Hall|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The line right before this is “With little tin horns and little toy drums.”
The Most Confusing Christmas Music Lyrics Explained (VIDEO)|Kevin Fallon|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
While the pork is resting, heat a large, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat.
Make Carla Hall’s Roasted Pork Loin With Cranberries|Carla Hall|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Finish the sauce by putting the roasting pan on the stovetop over medium-high heat.
Make Carla Hall’s Roasted Pork Loin With Cranberries|Carla Hall|December 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Truly it was a most enjoyable season and experience, but there is no joy without its alley here below—not even at the North Pole!
The Giant of the North|R.M. Ballantyne
And I will turn my hand to thee, and I will clean purge away thy dross, and I will take away all thy tin.
The Bible, Douay-Rheims Version|Various
Otherwise, a child's box of tin soldiers sent by post would have been just the thing for the Dardanelles landing!
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I|Ian Hamilton
He watched the man put some bread and milk in a tin pan, and set it down on the floor of the basket.
Squinty the Comical Pig|Richard Barnum
Then said Nqong from his bath in the salt-pan, "Come and ask me about it to-morrow, because I'm going to wash."
Kipling Stories and Poems Every Child Should Know, Book II|Rudyard Kipling

British Dictionary definitions for Tin Pan Alley

Tin Pan Alley

noun

a district in a city concerned with the production of popular music, originally a small district in New York

derogatory the strictly commercial side of show business and pop music

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Cultural definitions for Tin Pan Alley

Tin Pan Alley

A reference to the popular music industry in the United States; the term is not used as much today as it was a generation or two ago.

notes for Tin Pan Alley

Tin Pan Alley is often associated with songwriters who are more interested in making money off their songs than in producing high-quality music.