Definition

Noun: 1. A woodwind instrument: A musical instrument of the woodwind family, characterized by a slender conical bore and played with a double reed. It is known for its distinctive, penetrating, and often lyrical tone.

Examples

• The solo hautbois began the symphony with a clear, plaintive melody.
• She has been practicing the hautbois for over a decade.
• The sound of the hautbois is often described as nasal and expressive.

Advanced Usage

• The term hautbois is the original French word from which the modern English term "oboe" is derived. It is sometimes used in English in historical or formal musical contexts to refer to the instrument, particularly its earlier forms.
  • The Baroque ensemble featured a hautbois da caccia, a predecessor of the modern English horn.

Variants and Related Words

• Oboe (n): The modern, more commonly used English term for the same instrument.
• Oboist (n): A person who plays the oboe/hautbois.
• Double reed (n): The type of mouthpiece used by the hautbois/oboe, bassoon, and related instruments.

Synonyms

• Oboe

Related Phrases

• Principal hautbois/oboe: The lead oboist in an orchestra, responsible for playing solos and tuning the orchestra.
  • As the principal hautbois, she gave the tuning note to the orchestra.

Noun

1. a slender double-reed instrument; a woodwind with a conical bore and a double-reed mouthpiece