definitions

xylophone

[ zahy-luh-fohn ]
/ ˈzaɪ ləˌfoʊn /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR xylophone ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a musical instrument consisting of a graduated series of wooden bars, usually sounded by striking with small wooden hammers.

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RELATED WORDS

carillon, vibraphone, marimba

Nearby words

xyloid, xylol, xylophage, xylophagous, xylophilous, xylophone, xylorimba, xylose, xylostroma, xylotomous, xylotomy

Origin of xylophone

First recorded in 1865–70; xylo- + -phone

Related forms

xy·lo·phon·ic [zahy-luh-fon-ik] /ˌzaɪ ləˈfɒn ɪk/, adjectivexy·lo·phon·ist [zahy-luh-foh-nist, zahy-lof-uh-nist, zi-] /ˈzaɪ ləˌfoʊ nɪst, zaɪˈlɒf ə nɪst, zɪ-/, noun
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for xylophone

British Dictionary definitions for xylophone

xylophone

/ (ˈzaɪləˌfəʊn) /

noun

music a percussion instrument consisting of a set of wooden bars of graduated length. It is played with hard-headed hammers

Derived Forms

xylophonic (ˌzaɪləˈfɒnɪk), adjectivexylophonist (zaɪˈlɒfənɪst), noun

Word Origin for xylophone

C19: from xylo- + -phone
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