woodwind
woodwind Lexical Profile
woodwind Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A wind musical instrument—such as a flute, clarinet, oboe, bassoon, or saxophone—in which sound is produced by the vibration of one or two reeds in the mouthpiece or by passing air across an opening, historically made of wood though now often made of metal or plastic.
"She began learning the flute in elementary school and eventually mastered several other woodwinds."
The section of an orchestra or band consisting of woodwind instruments and the musicians who play them (usually used in the plural).
"During the second movement of the symphony, the strings fall silent and the woodwinds carry the main theme."
• adjective
Relating to, composed of, or written for wind instruments that produce sound through a vibrating reed or by blowing air across an open hole.
"The composer arranged the folk melody for a woodwind quintet consisting of a flute, oboe, clarinet, bassoon, and French horn."
Word Nuance & Usage
Despite the name, many modern woodwind instruments, such as flutes and saxophones, are made of metal rather than wood; they are classified as woodwinds because sound is produced by splitting an airstream across an edge or vibrating a reed, rather than buzzing the lips as with brass instruments.
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the late 19th century as a compound of 'wood' and 'wind', referring to wind instruments that were historically constructed from wood.