shawm

[ shawm ]

noun

1. an early musical woodwind instrument with a double reed: the forerunner of the modern oboe.

shawm

/ ʃɔːm /

noun

1. music a medieval form of the oboe with a conical bore and flaring bell, blown through a double reed

Word History and Origins

Origin of shawm¹

1300–50; Middle English schalme < Middle French chaume < Latin calamus stalk, reed < Greek kálamos reed; replacing Middle English schallemele < Middle French chalemel ( chalumeau )

Word History and Origins

Origin of shawm¹

C14 shalmye, from Old French chalemie, ultimately from Latin calamus a reed, from Greek kalamos

Example Sentences

Mr. Savall assembled a Renaissance big band of 24 players, wielding cornetto, shawms, dulcians and sackbuts as well as ancient and newer strings, and a cast of six singers and two actors.

From New York Times

Instrumental contributions were most pleasing when they featured matching instruments, shawms and dulcians together or all recorders, where each overlapping contrapuntal line could be traced in the same timbre.

From Washington Post

Then there's an elegant treatment of The Boar's Head, featuring the shawm, a medieval reed instrument, and sturdy a cappella vocal harmonies on the American spiritual Poor Little Jesus.

From The Guardian

Shawm, Shalm, shawm, n. a musical instrument of the oboe class, having a double reed enclosed in a globular mouthpiece.

From Project Gutenberg

Go, damsels, dance in the meadows to the sound of pipes and shawms.

From Project Gutenberg