Clarinet
/ˌklæɹɪˈnɛt/ noun
noun ·Moderate ·College level
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A woodwind musical instrument that has a distinctive liquid tone whose characteristics vary among its three registers: chalumeau (low), clarion (medium), and altissimo (high).
- 2 a single-reed instrument with a straight tube wordnet
Example
More examples"Her clarinet squeaked, and the entire audience laughed."
Etymology
Borrowed from Italian clarinetto, diminutive of clarino (“trumpet”) (as the first clarinets had a strident tone similar to that of a trumpet), from Latin clarus. Alternatively, the word may come from French clarinette, diminutive form of clarine (“bell”), from clarin, from clair (“clear”), from Latin clarus.