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Definition of xylophone

xylophone

/ˈzaɪ.lə.foʊn/
xy · lo · phone
Plural:xylophones
•
Adjective:xylophonic
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xylophone Lexical Profile

xylophone Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

A percussion instrument consisting of a series of graduated wooden bars tuned to specific pitches, played by striking them with small mallets.

Example

"The orchestral piece featured a lively and intricate solo played on the xylophone."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for xylophone

Word Nuance & Usage

Often confused in everyday speech with the glockenspiel or metallophone; true xylophones specifically have wooden bars, while the others have metal bars.

• Rhymes for xylophone

• Nearby Words

xylophagan
xylophage
xylophilous
xylophone
xylopyrography
xylorimba
xylosma

Word Origin & Etymology

Coined in the 1860s from the Greek words 'xylon' (wood) and 'phōnē' (sound, voice).

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Xylophone. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 16, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/xylophone
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