brass
noun · adjective · verb
Simple meaning
A class of wind instruments, usually made of metal, that use vibrations of the player's lips to produce sound.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
brasIPA pronunciation (US)
ˈbɹæs
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
music
A class of wind instruments, usually made of metal (such as brass), that use vibrations of the player's lips to produce sound; a band or the section of an orchestra that features such instruments.
Spent cartridge casings (usually made of brass): the part of the cartridge left over after bullets or shells have been fired.
A wind instrument that consists of a brass tube (usually of variable length) that is blown by means of a cup-shaped or funnel-shaped mouthpiece
A memorial or sepulchral tablet usually made of brass or latten: a monumental brass.
Inferior composition.
An alloy of copper and zinc
“The door handle is made of brass rather than steel.”
adjective
Of inferior composition.
informal
Impertinent, bold: brazen.
Made of brass, of or pertaining to brass.
Of the color of brass.
verb
transitive
To coat with brass.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A2 · Elementary (estimated)
- Frequency
- Common
- Typical Use
- General English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Word Aura is being prepared for this meaning.
More ways to use brass
- “The brass are not going to like this.”noun
- “You've got a lot of brass telling me to do that!”noun
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A rich opportunity or a prize.
The section of a band or orchestra that plays brass instruments.
A group of musicians playing only brass and percussion instruments.
South African herb with golden-yellow globose flower heads.
The family of brass instruments.
A high-ranking military officer.
Related Words
Connected to the same idea, not synonyms.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: class of wind instruments
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Keep learning “brass” by choosing the kind of practice you need next.
- Practice sentence writingWrite sentences with vocabulary and get instant feedback.
- Practice in contextAnswer short vocabulary questions drawn from real situations.
- Review vocabularyTest your recall and strengthen words over time.
- Practice typingType vocabulary in short rounds that draw from words you've learned and saved.
Want to type words like this one without looking at the keyboard? Each typing round draws from words you've learned, saved or need to review. Follow the free Learn to Type lessons and type your own vocabulary with confidence.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.