Definition

1. Noun:
   • A portable musical instrument: An accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument that is held in both hands. To play it, the musician expands and compresses the central bellows while pressing buttons or keys on either side, causing air to flow over free reeds and produce sound.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • The street musician played a lively tune on his accordion.
  • She learned to play the accordion as a child.
  • The polka music featured a prominent accordion part.

Advanced Usage

• "Piano accordion": A common type of accordion that has a piano-style keyboard for the right hand (melody) and buttons for the left hand (bass and chords).
  • He preferred the piano accordion over the button accordion.
• "Button accordion": A type of accordion that uses buttons instead of a piano keyboard for the melody side.
  • Traditional Irish music is often played on a button accordion.

Variants and Related Words

• Accordionist (noun): A person who plays the accordion.
  • The famous accordionist performed for the crowd.
• Accordion-like (adjective): Resembling or characteristic of an accordion, especially in having folds or pleats.
  • The map had an accordion-like fold for easy storage.

Synonyms

• Squeezebox (noun, informal): A colloquial term for an accordion.
  • He brought his squeezebox to the party.

Related Phrases

• "To fold up like an accordion" (idiom): To collapse or compress in a series of folds, similar to the bellows of the instrument. Often used to describe vehicles in accidents.
  • The compact car folded up like an accordion in the crash.

Noun

1. a portable box-shaped free-reed instrument; the reeds are made to vibrate by air from the bellows controlled by the player