tuba

American  

[too-buh, tyoo-] / ˈtu bə, ˈtju- /

noun

• tubas,
  plural
• tubae
  plural

1. Music.

   1. a valved, brass wind instrument having a low range.

   2. an organ reed stop of large scale with tones of exceptional power.

   3. an ancient Roman trumpet.

2. Meteorology. funnel cloud.

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tuba British  

/ ˈtjuːbə /

noun

1. a valved brass instrument of bass pitch, in which the bell points upwards and the mouthpiece projects at right angles. The tube is of conical bore and the mouthpiece cup-shaped

2. any other bass brass instrument such as the euphonium, helicon, etc

3. a powerful reed stop on an organ

4. a form of trumpet of ancient Rome

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tuba Cultural  

1. The lowest-pitched of the brass instruments. In orchestras, the tuba is usually held across the player's lap. In marching bands, the sousaphone is generally used as a low brass instrument because it was designed to be carried.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• tubae
  plural
• tubas
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of tuba

1850–55; < Latin: trumpet; akin to tube

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Explanation

A tuba is a large brass instrument that you play by blowing into its mouthpiece. In a marching band, the tuba player plays the lowest, deepest notes (and also has to lug around her tuba). The tuba is the biggest, and among the newest, of all the brass instruments. Tuba players create the low-pitched sound by making a kind of "buzz" with their breath against the mouthpiece and pressing the tuba's valves to form notes. In an orchestra, a tuba player holds the instrument on her lap, while a tuba player in a marching band would use a sousaphone tuba, or helicon, a lighter tuba that can be worn across a shoulder.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tuba tubas

“When I started studying this, I didn’t know that tuba was a Filipino word, or that palapa was a Filipino word, and few others knew it,” Machuca says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 24, 2026

Growing up in south Florida, André started taking piano lessons when he was 5, and played tuba in middle school and cello in high school.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 18, 2026

“Two trumpets and a tuba, accompanied by thousands of snare drums.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026

Trombones bleat, a tuba bellows, drums are the heart.

From Salon ● Nov. 8, 2025

Bongo can also do a passable tuba, an impressive Chihuahua, and a fine police siren.

From "Wishtree" by Katherine Applegate

Take my word for it: I own 10 tubas and have had more fun playing them than should be legal.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2025

The Inglewood marching band — about 40 members strong — roared alongside their signal-caller, blasting music with their tubas and trumpets in victory as the Sentinels celebrated their 34-29 win Friday night.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2024

Yet from 2011 to 2013, tubas started disappearing from high schools in Southern California, for no obvious reason and with no explanation.

From New York Times ● Mar. 14, 2024

He said this even as the community center that hosted our party made us close the doors because the tubas and trombones of the banda sinaloense were too loud.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 9, 2024

People flood into the post office, carrying giant drums and flutes and tubas, blasting a somewhat off-key rendition of that Bruno Mars song “Marry You.”

From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera

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