Definitions
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
- n. A large brass wind instrument, similar in range to the tuba, having a flaring bell and a shape adapted to being carried in marching bands.
Wiktionary
- n. A valved brass instrument with the same length as a tuba, but shaped differently so that the bell is above the head, that the valves are situated directly in front of the musical instrumentsan a few inches above the waist, and that most of the weight rests on one shoulder.
WordNet 3.0
- n. the lowest brass wind instrument
Etymologies
- After John Philip Sousa.
Examples
“It comprises Tom Hagerman, who doubles on violin and keys, including accordion; Shawn King on percussion; and Jeanie Schroder, who holds down the bottom on upright bass and sousaphone.”
“Our sousaphone player, John Altieri, is a rare breed, bringing funky bass lines and rapping, too.”
“There are nine pieces: the central drum, dhol, drumset, percussion, sousaphone and several horns.”
“Priya in pink and blue salwar kameez bangles on her arms toned from carrying the sousaphone and frequent trips to the gym.”
“The new material ought to suit the Orchestra's delightfully eccentric repertoire: On their new eponymous album, released Tuesday, they cover Bjork, Meshuggah, Charles Mingus and Frank Zappa with unbridled enthusiasm and the technical wizardry of a jazz orchestra one that features piccolo, sousaphone and quad tom-toms.”
The Wall Street Journal: Cultural, Musical Roots Sprout Great Performances
“Most of the group's tunes are originals penned by saxophonist Doug Abram; he gets avid, athletic support from Rob Pleshar on sousaphone, Gerald Bailey on trumpet, Andrew Zelm on euphonium, Dersu Burrows on bass drum, and Ehsan Ghoreishi on accordion and daf Persian frame drum.”
“Just bring your tuba, sousaphone or euphonium to the 37th annual TubaChristmas, a mass tooting of the brass instruments; it's open to anyone with the necessary gear.”
The Washington Post: Getting Up Guide: PWYC for Second City; D.C. history lesson
“Joining Phil and his sonic boom of a sousaphone is Derrick “Big Sexy” Tabb, who plays with a viciousness that suggests he is skinning a cat, rather than hitting a snare drum.”
“Phil bumps and pumps with his sousaphone, twisting sideways while simultaneously firing up and down like a piston.”
“Tune In 'Soul Bossa Nostra' featuring Ludacris, Naturally 7 and Rudy Currence 'Ironside' featuring Talib Kweli 'Strawberry Letter 23' featuring Akon I learned to play everything in the brass section — tuba, sousaphone, B-flat trombone.”
The Wall Street Journal: Whether It's Basie or Snoop, He Still Hears the Big Band
Lists
These user-created lists contain the word ‘sousaphone’.
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phono-, phon-, -phony
relating to sound
phonograph, phonics, phonology, telephony, phoneme, phone, telephone, phonautograph, phonetic, phonebook, phonography, phonolite and 107 more...
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Phones, But Not Telephones!
These are musical instruments or mythological figures instead!
saxophone, heckelphone, sarrusophone, mellophone, sousaphone, lamellophone, metallophone, xylophone, vibraphone, crystallophone, pyrophone, idiophone and 53 more...
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Musical Eponyms
list suggested by @grrillaesthete
Frippertronics, Moog, theremin, saxophone, sarrusophone, sousaphone, heckelphone
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TimV's list
porpoise, marmoset, philatelist, porcine, percolator, caustic, zesty, sousaphone, burka
bilby "It was a patriotic statement that went a bit too far afield: an attempt to create the 'ultimate picnic burger.' Called the Fourth of July Burger, it was tested last summer at seven locations by the West Coast fast-food chain Carl's Jr. and consisted of a huge beef patty topped with pickles, ketchup, mustard, potato chips, and a hot dog. Stacked high and loaded with fat and calories, it was the food equivalent of the national anthem played through a sousaphone, a perfect distillation of a peculiarly American form of balls-out, postmodern gluttony that, at least outwardly, we're all supposed to be ashamed of right now."
- Joe Keohane, 'Fat Profits', portfolio.com, Feb 2008. Jul 1, 2008