instrument
noun · verb
Simple meaning
Any of different devices or contrivances that can be used to produce musical tones or sounds.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
instruhmuhntSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈɪnstɹəmənt
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
Any of various devices or contrivances that can be used to produce musical tones or sounds
A device used to produce music.
A means or agency for achieving an effect.
A tool, implement used for manipulation or measurement.
figuratively
A person used as a mere tool for achieving a goal.
A person used by another to gain an end
verb
To perform upon an instrument; to prepare for an instrument.
transitive
To apply measuring devices.
transitive
To devise, conceive, cook up, plan.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A2 · Elementary (estimated)
- Frequency
- Common
- Typical Use
- Varies by meaning
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: Any of various devices or contrivances that can be used to produce musical tones or sounds
Used this way, instrument is a reasonably familiar word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. This is a musical use: it is everyday language among musicians and listeners, and specialised outside that.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Neutral
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Moderately common
- Connotation
- Matter-of-fact
- Usage feel
- Neutral and straightforward
Where it naturally appears
- Music/performance
- Arts writing
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
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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.
Navigation of an airplane solely by instruments.
An aircraft landing made entirely by means of instruments.
An instrument designed and used to take the life of a condemned person.
An instrument designed and used to punish a condemned person.
An instrument of punishment designed and used to inflict torture on the condemned person.
Electrical device consisting of a flat insulated surface that contains switches and dials and meters for controlling other electrical devices.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
Relating to or designed for or performed on musical instruments.
Music intended to be performed by a musical instrument or group of instruments.
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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.