bagpipe
bagpipe Lexical Profile
bagpipe Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A wind musical instrument, traditionally associated with Scotland and Ireland, consisting of an airtight bag that supplies air to a fingered melody pipe (chanter) and one or more Accompanying drone pipes (usually used in the plural).
"The ceremonial procession was led by a solo musician playing a traditional Highland bagpipe."
• verb
To play music on the bagpipes.
"He learned to bagpipe at a young age and now performs at local cultural festivals."
Word Nuance & Usage
Although "bagpipe" is grammatically singular, the instrument is most commonly referred to in the plural as "bagpipes" or simply "the pipes," even when describing a single instrument.
Word Origin & Etymology
Recorded in Middle English from the late 14th century, the word is a compound of "bag" (from Old Norse "baggi") and "pipe" (from Old English "pipe"), referring to the airtight leather reservoir that feeds air into the reed pipes.