woodwind

American  

[wood-wind] / ˈwʊdˌwɪnd /

noun

1. a musical wind instrument of the group comprising the flutes, clarinets, oboes, bassoons, and occasionally, the saxophones.

2. woodwinds, the section of an orchestra or band comprising the woodwind instruments.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or composed of woodwinds.

woodwind British  

/ ˈwʊdˌwɪnd /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or denoting a type of wind instrument, excluding the brass instruments, formerly made of wood but now often made of metal, such as the flute or clarinet

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noun

1. (functioning as plural) woodwind instruments collectively

Etymology

Origin of woodwind

First recorded in 1875–80; wood ¹ + wind ³

Explanation

A woodwind is a type of musical instrument that you play by blowing into its mouthpiece. Flutes, clarinets, and oboes are all woodwinds. So are bagpipes—but you might have a hard time convincing your music teacher to let you play bagpipes in the marching band. Most woodwinds have a mouthpiece with a thin strip of material called a reed that vibrates when air passes. Blowing into a saxophone or clarinet is different than blowing across the opening in a flute or piccolo, but they're all woodwinds. Each requires wind, or a stream of blown air, to play notes. While today most woodwinds are made from metal and other materials, the original woodwinds were wooden—which explains the wood part of the name.

Example Sentences

A woodwind musician, he played traditional Breton music for a Renaissance dance troupe.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 15, 2025

A chorus’ effusiveness gradually morphed into an ecstatic Washington saxophone solo down the way that then became a woodwind choir that had an organ-like quality.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 28, 2025

Playing the piano or keyboard appeared to be particularly beneficial, while brass and woodwind instruments were good too.

From BBC • Jan. 28, 2024

The former rap star has even just released his new album "New Blue Sun" which is entirety played on different woodwind instruments but primarily on the flute.

From Salon • Nov. 21, 2023

“Our families are the strings family, the woodwind family, the brass family, and the percussion family.”

From "Piecing Me Together" by Renée Watson