alphorn
A long, curved, wooden horn used by mountain-dwelling herders in the Alps, originally to call cattle but now only as musical instrument in classical and folk tunes.

alphorns
plural of alphorn

althorn
An alto or tenor saxhorn

alti
plural of alto

altissimo
The highest register of a woodwind instrument, or a specific note in this register

altissimos
plural of altissimo

alto
A musical part or section higher than tenor and lower than soprano, formerly the part that performed a countermelody above the tenor or main melody.
A person or musical instrument that performs the alto part.
An alto saxophone.

altos
plural of alto

ambira
Dated form of mbira (“African musical instrument”).

ambiras
plural of ambira

ambiti
plural of ambitus

ambitus
The range of a melody, especially those of ecclesiastical chants.
The exterior edge or border of a thing, such as a leaf or shell.
A canvassing for votes.

ambituses
plural of ambitus

amblygon
An obtuse-angled shape, especially an obtuse triangle.

ambotik
An Indian dish made with pomfret and coconut in a tangy sauce.

amplifier
Anything that amplifies, or makes something larger or more intense.
An adverb that adds intensity, such as "really" or "totally".
An appliance or circuit that increases the strength of a weak electrical signal without changing the other characteristics of the signal.
A portable encasement that houses a large speaker, used to amplify voices and musical instruments at live performances.
A lens that enlarges the field of vision.

amplifiers
plural of amplifier

anaphone
A particular sign as represented in music; a sound or melody that represents something, such as motion or romance.

anaphones
plural of anaphone

angelique
A tall plant, with hollow stems, genus Angelica, especially garden angelica (Angelica archangelica).
Alternative form of angélique.

angelot
A French gold coin from the reign of Louis XI, bearing the image of Saint Michael
a coin minted in Paris by the English, during the reign of Henry VI.
A sort of small, rich cheese made in Normandy, especially Pont-l'Évêque cheese but formerly applied to other cheeses.
An old musical instrument similar to the lute.

angelots
plural of angelot

angklung
A percussion instrument, originally from Indonesia, made of two or more bamboo tubes attached to a bamboo frame, which is shaken.

angklungs
plural of angklung

anharmonicities
plural of anharmonicity

anharmonicity
The deviation of a system from harmonicity (being a harmonic oscillator)

anklong
Alternative form of angklung.

anklongs
plural of anklong

anklung
Alternative form of angklung.

anklungs
plural of anklung

antitrochanter
An articular surface on the ilium of birds against which the great trochanter of the femur plays

antitrochanters
plural of antitrochanter

apocenter
The furthest point of an astronomical object in an elliptical orbit to its center of attraction (the principal focus of the ellipse)

apocenters
plural of apocenter

apocentre
Alternative form of apocenter.

apostle
A missionary, or leader of a religious mission, especially one in the early Christian Church (but see Apostle).
A pioneer or early advocate of a particular cause, prophet of a belief.
A top-ranking ecclesiastical official in the twelve seat administrative council of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
A person who is plucked, that is, refused an academic degree.

apostles
plural of apostle
Letters dismissory.

aquaphone
Synonym of waterphone (“instrument for detecting leaks”).

aquaphones
plural of aquaphone

archdeceiver
One who orchestrates deception, especially the Devil.

archdeceivers
plural of archdeceiver

archilute
Alternative form of archlute.

archilutes
plural of archilute

archlute
A fretted and double-necked stringed musical instrument with a large body, double courses in the bass, and two sets of tuning pegs.

archlutes
plural of archlute

archtop
A style of large steel-stringed guitar having an arched belly, a neck at a slight angle to the body and a fretboard elevated above the soundboard.

archtops
plural of archtop

arciliuto
Synonym of archlute.

arciliutos
plural of arciliuto

arghool
Alternative form of arghul (“musical instrument”).

arghools
plural of arghool

arghoul
Alternative form of arghul (“musical instrument”).

arghouls
plural of arghoul

arghul
A musical instrument in the reed family, used since ancient Egyptian times and still a traditional instrument in Egypt, Syria, Jordan, and Palestine.

arghuls
plural of arghul

argol
Alternative form of arghul (“musical instrument”).

argols
plural of argol

argul
Alternative form of arghul (“musical instrument”).

arguls
plural of argul

arhoolie
Alternative form of arwhoolie.

arhoolies
plural of arhoolie

armonica
A musical instrument made of blown-glass bowls mounted on a spindle turned originally by a foot pedal, and played with wetted fingers, producing an ethereal sound. Technically, it is a crystallophone.

armonicas
plural of armonica

armonico
Alternative spelling of armónico.

armonicos
plural of armonico

arpeggione
A six-stringed musical instrument of the 19th century, fretted and tuned like a guitar but bowed like a cello, and held vertically between the knees.

arpeggiones
plural of arpeggione

arwhoolie
A slow, introspective African-American song type that has its origin in solo work songs, featuring a meandering melody, irregular rhythms, and various forms of wordless vocalization.

arwhoolies
plural of arwhoolie

astrosphere
A cavity filled with hot gas blown into the interstellar medium by stellar winds.

astrospheres
plural of astrosphere

astroturfer
One who engages in astroturfing, the disguising of an orchestrated campaign as a “grass-roots” event.

astroturfers
plural of astroturfer

attargul
attar of roses

auletris
A courtesan or prostitute in Ancient Greece who played the flute to provide entertainment.

aulochrome
A modern woodwind instrument consisting of two soprano saxophones that can be played either separately or together.

aulochromes
plural of aulochrome

auloi
plural of aulos

aulos
Any of a class of ancient Greek musical instruments resembling pipes or flutes.

autofretting
Synonym of autofrettage.

automatophone
Any musical instrument that operates by mechanical means.

automatophones
plural of automatophone

automela
plural of automelon

automelon
A composition used in Orthodox Christianity to create other hymns, following its melody and rhythm.

autoparts
automotive components

axatse
A rattle-like percussion instrument made from a gourd covered with a net with beads or cowry shells at its junctions.

azint
One form of harmonic malfunction

azints
plural of azint

babendil
A narrow-rimmed gong of Filipino origin, used singly to provide a rhythm in a kulintang ensemble.

babendils
plural of babendil

backscroll
scrollback

baglama
A seven-stringed musical instrument in various cultures around the eastern Mediterranean, with a pear-shaped body, and strings in double or sometimes triple courses.

baglamadaki
Synonym of baglamas.

baglamadakis
plural of baglamadaki

baglamades
plural of baglamas

baglamas
A plucked stringed instrument, a long-necked bowl lute, played in Greek music and often made of improvised materials; it is a high-pitched and small bouzouki with one string in an octave pair on the lower D and unison pairs on the four highest strings.

bai
A marshy meadow in sub-Saharan Africa.

bais
plural of bai

baktunob
plural of baktun

balaban
An Azerbaijani wind instrument made of wood.

balalaika
A plucked stringed instrument with a triangular body, short neck and three strings, of Russian origin.

balalaikas
plural of balalaika

balalaiki
plural of balalaika

balalajka
Alternative form of balalaika.

balalajkas
plural of balalajka

balalayka
Alternative form of balalaika.

balalaykas
plural of balalayka

ballister
A crossbow or ballista.
Alternative form of baluster; a short pillar.
A brace on a brass instrument that helps hold the valves in place.