brass instrument

noun

: any of a group of wind instruments (such as a French horn, trombone, trumpet, or tuba) that is usually characterized by a long cylindrical or conical metal tube commonly curved two or more times and ending in a flared bell, that produces tones by the vibrations of the player's lips against a usually cup-shaped mouthpiece, and that usually has valves or a slide by which the player may produce all the tones within the instrument's range

Examples of brass instrument in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Bowers cites the tale of Paty — a brass instrument technician who, before getting hired at the shop, struggled to survive — as especially affecting, having become a father himself since beginning work on the film. Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2024 Sack-butt — When spelled with one T (sackbut), the word refers to an early Renaissance brass instrument similar to a trombone. Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Oct. 2023 Edward Ross Goldstein, a tuba player who became an authority on the brass instrument and performed at thousands of events, died of glioblastoma Friday at Gilchrist Hospice Towson. Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 12 Jan. 2023 Only the Strong Survive is a product of backyard-studio sessions during lockdown, with longtime producer Ron Aniello playing every non-brass instrument. Jonathan Bernstein, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2022 The only other objects in the room are four long microphones pointed at the sculpture, which produce sonic feedback from the brass instrument, soft, sustained and sublime. New York Times, 17 Mar. 2022 The predominant brass instrument is conical, such as a French horn, as opposed to the cylindrical bore of a trombone. Chris Varias, The Enquirer, 5 Feb. 2022 Allan Jaffe, who played the helicon, a brass instrument, was the link to the musicians and sent them out on the road as the Preservation Hall Jazz Band. New York Times, 31 Dec. 2021 Nicknamed the Mitchel Telescope after the Observatory’s founder, this 16-foot-long, mahogany and brass instrument is a true work of art and science. Dean Regas, The Enquirer, 9 Oct. 2021

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'brass instrument.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of brass instrument was in 1837

Dictionary Entries Near brass instrument

Cite this Entry

“Brass instrument.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brass%20instrument. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

brass instrument

noun
: any of a group of musical instruments made of curved tubes of brass in various shapes that includes trumpets, trombones, tubas, and French horns compare percussion instrument, stringed instrument, woodwind sense 1

More from Merriam-Webster on brass instrument

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!