tuba

American  

[too-buh, tyoo-] / ˈtu bə, ˈtyu- /

noun

plural

tubas, tubae

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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Etymology

Origin of tuba

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

Example Sentences

He lowered his deep bass voice, but it was like trying to play softly on a tuba.

From Literature

He played brass instruments: trumpet, trombone, and tuba, as well as the flute.

From Literature

For Bruckner, rising melodic scales, humongous fanfares with trumpets and horns and Wagner tubas galore and repeated patterns over and over by an unstoppable orchestra serve as injections of musical endorphins.

From Los Angeles Times

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

From Salon

Banished to the orchestra’s back row, the tuba is rarely highlighted on its own.

From The Wall Street Journal