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

“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

“Harvey is one of the best salesmen I ever knew,” said Andy Harlow, who was a “band boy” for Averne’s teen group, carrying Harvey’s vibraphones and other gear to gigs and practice.

From New York Times

His lean, linear, freely melodic vibraphone playing repeatedly made him the top vibraphonist in the Down Beat magazine musicians’ poll.

From New York Times