tuning fork

American  

noun

1. a steel instrument consisting of a stem with two prongs, producing a musical tone of definite, constant pitch when struck, and serving as a standard for tuning musical instruments, making acoustical experiments, and the like.

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tuning fork British  

noun

1. a two-pronged metal fork that when struck produces a pure note of constant specified pitch. It is used to tune musical instruments and in acoustics

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Etymology

Origin of tuning fork

First recorded in 1765–75

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

tuning fork

Whether that came from the lymphatic drainage or the fascia work, the tuning fork or just 90 minutes of focused attention, I couldn’t say.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 9, 2025

She begins two weeks before the airport car shows up at her door and fills multiple suitcases with many more clothes than she’ll wear, snacks, even a tuning fork.

From Salon ● Aug. 3, 2025

On average, the spiders shot their web at the live prey when it came within 1.5 centimeters of their web, and at the tuning fork when it was 2.9 centimeters from their web.

From Science Magazine ● Dec. 4, 2024

The U-M researchers point to what's called the Hubble tuning fork, a diagram that depicts the way astronomer Edwin Hubble classified galaxies.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 21, 2023

The huge tuning fork was cylindrical, silvery smooth, and cold to the touch.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman