xylophone

American  

[zahy-luh-fohn] / ˈzaɪ ləˌfoʊn /

noun

• xylophones
  plural

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

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xylophone British  

/ ˈzaɪləˌfəʊn, ˌzaɪləˈfɒnɪk, zaɪˈlɒfənɪst /

noun

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

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• xylophonist
  noun
• xylophonic
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• xylophones
  plural

Etymology

Origin of xylophone

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

Compare meaning

How does xylophone compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• vibraphone vs. xylophone
• glockenspiel vs. xylophone

Explanation

A xylophone is a long musical instrument with wooden bars that is played by hitting it with small, hammer-like mallets. The xylophone produces bright, sharp tones when stuck with these hard-headed mallets. The xylo- part of this word comes from the Greek for wood — xylon — and clues us in to what gives this instrument its unique sound: the graduated bars representing tones of the scale. A related word in English is xylem, the tissue that forms the woody part of plants. The phone part means "a sound" in Greek. If your instrument has metal bars instead of wooden ones, it is more likely to be a glockenspiel, not a xylophone.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

xylophone xylophones

He holds small mallets in his “hands” to play a kind of xylophone called a marimba.

From NewsForKids.net ● Apr. 1, 2024

They distributed xylophone mallets to those waiting in line.

From New York Times ● Feb. 2, 2024

The article paints a scene of company employees striking a metal xylophone and applauding as they jubilantly gaslight their customers.

From Slate ● Jul. 31, 2023

The cartoon course includes play-alongs with digital instruments like the piano, xylophone, drum kits and even turntables.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 20, 2022

A running stream could be a glissando on a xylophone; thunder can be played with drums; footsteps with a woodblock, etc.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

I wish it sounded like tinkling bells and xylophones.

From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2026

These instruments tend to be bells, gongs, types of xylophones and other kinds of pitched percussion instruments.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 27, 2024

The new regulations also required permits for products made from the wood, including guitars, violins, bagpipes and xylophones.

From Washington Times ● Apr. 12, 2018

Musical instruments like tambourines, wrist bells and shakers, as well as toy pianos and xylophones, are everywhere, and a pretend music mixer invites preschoolers to play with light switches, levers, dials and reels.

From New York Times ● Jun. 25, 2015

By the years end the Firemen had raked the autumn leaves and white xylophones away, and it was no more fun.

From "The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury