vibraphone

[ vahy-bruh-fohn ]

noun

1. Also vibes. a musical percussion instrument that resembles a marimba and is played with mallets, but that has metal instead of wooden bars and has a set of electrically powered resonators for sustaining the tone or creating a vibrato.

vibraphone

/ ˈvaɪbrəˌfəʊn; ˈvaɪbrəˌhɑːp /

noun

1. a percussion instrument, used esp in jazz, consisting of a set of metal bars placed over tubular metal resonators, which are made to vibrate electronically

Derived Forms

• ˈvibraˌphonist, noun

Other Words From

• vi·bra·phon·ist [vahy, -br, uh, -foh-nist, vahy-, brof, -, uh, -], noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of vibraphone¹

First recorded in 1925–30; from Latin vibrā(re) “to shake” + -phone

Example Sentences

When Puts reaches for percussion instruments, he chooses the sweeter ones — glockenspiel, crotales, chimes, vibraphone — and combines them luxuriously.

From New York Times

It was probably the drone on the vibraphone and the birdlike chirping on flutes that induced me into a trance.

From New York Times

The riches haven’t materialized yet, DeBardi stressed, as he listed the instruments — everything from a vibraphone to timpanis to guitars — he bought on the cheap when he had “like, $300 to my name.”

From Seattle Times

“Gravity” is the album’s only track without a piano, slimming down this band of young aces to just bass, drums, guitar and vibraphone.

From New York Times

Though he didn’t make a record, himself, until he was 30, Averne also left a mark as a recording artist and accordion/vibraphone player.

From New York Times