xylophone

[ zahy-luh-fohn ]

noun

1. a musical instrument consisting of a graduated series of wooden bars, usually sounded by striking with small wooden hammers.

xylophone

/ ˈzaɪləˌfəʊn; ˌzaɪləˈfɒnɪk; zaɪˈlɒfənɪst /

noun

1. music a percussion instrument consisting of a set of wooden bars of graduated length. It is played with hard-headed hammers

Derived Forms

• xylophonist, noun
• xylophonic, adjective

Other Words From

• xy·lo·phon·ic [zahy-l, uh, -, fon, -ik], adjective
• xy·lo·phon·ist [zahy, -l, uh, -foh-nist, zahy-, lof, -, uh, -nist, zi-], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of xylophone¹

First recorded in 1865–70; xylo- + -phone

Word History and Origins

Origin of xylophone¹

C19: from xylo- + -phone

Example Sentences

McCullough told police: "When I was hitting her it was like someone badly playing the xylophone, it was willy-nilly."

From BBC

He holds small mallets in his “hands” to play a kind of xylophone called a marimba.

From NewsForKids.net

These instruments tend to be bells, gongs, types of xylophones and other kinds of pitched percussion instruments.

From Science Daily

They distributed xylophone mallets to those waiting in line.

From New York Times

“Let’s work together to keep your account safe and protect you from fraud,” a recorded voice said, over a tinkly melody that sounded like a xylophone.

From New York Times