Trumpet definitions and example sentences on Wordnik

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Definitions (34)

American Heritage Dictionary (7)

noun Music A soprano brass wind instrument consisting of a long metal tube looped once and ending in a flared bell, the modern type being equipped with three valves for producing variations in pitch.
noun Something shaped or sounding like this instrument.
noun Music An organ stop that produces a tone like that of the brass wind instrument.

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Century Dictionary (20)

Humming-birds' trumpet. Same as California fucshia.
Respiratory trumpet one of two trumpet-shaped respiratory tubules on the thorax of the pupa of a mosquito or an allied dipterous insect.
A musical wind-instrument, properly of metal, consisting of a cup-shaped mouthpiece, a long cylindrical or a short conical tube, and a flaring bell. The tones are produced by the vibrations of the player's lips. The fundamental tone of the tube depends on its length, but by varying the force of the breath and the method of embouchure, a considerable series of harmonies can also be produced, so that the compass of the instrument extends to about four octaves, the tones in the upper part of the series lying close together. By the addition of a slide, like that of the trombone, or of valves, as in the cornetà-pistons, or of finger-holes and keys, as in the key-bugle and the serpent, a large number of other tones can be secured, so as to give a very full and continuous compass, well adjusted as to intonation. The fundamental tone can be extensively varied in modern instruments by the use of crooks. The trumpet is the typical instrument of a very numerous family of instruments, of which the horn, the bugle, the cornet, the trombone, the tuba, the euphonium, and the serpent are prominent members. Then name trumpet itself has been applied to a large number of different instruments at different times. In ancient times two varieties were important—the one straight (the luba), and the other curved (the lituus), the latter being often made of wood or horn. In the medieval period the evolution of a great number of variants was rapid, with little emphasis on any one distinctively known as the trumpet. In the eighteenth century, and early in the nineteenth, the present orchestral trumpet reached its full development in a twice-doubled tube about five and a half feet long (or with the longest crook eight feet), without keys or valves, but with a short slide for correcting the intonation of certain of the upper tones and for adding intermediate tones. The artistic value of this instrument is great; but in most cases music written for it is now generally given to valve-instruments of the cornet kind, whose tone can never be as pure and true. The use of the trumpet was frequent with Bach and Handel, under the names clarino and principale. The instrument is most common now in works of a martial or festal character, but it is also useful for adding color to various combinations, especially with other wind-instruments. Music for the trumpet is traditionally written in the key of C, and the intended fundamental tone (to be obtained by the use of the appropriate crook) is indicated at the beginning, as “clarino in F” or “tromba in E.” Instruments of the trumpet class have always been used for military purposes, especially for signaling and in military bands. Trumpet, or a lytylle trumpe, that clepythe to mete, or men togedur. Sistrum. Prompt Parv., p. 504.

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The sound of the trumpet will be the signal for the charge.' — Life of Tecumseh, and of His Brother the Prophet
But my mom points out that the trumpet is a LOUD instrument, and that we should take into account whether we want to subject the neighbors to a 30-minute daily practice session. — Swistle
Certainly his trumpet is always good but, I repeat, the compositions are not entirely convinced me. — Latest reviews @ Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website
Mapped onto the trumpet are all five Guitar Hero controller buttons, with the red, green and yellow played with the right hand, blue and orange with the left. — Kotaku
The Espoir lay within hail of a speaking-trumpet, and as we had nothing else to do, we carried on an animated conversation with each other, not very dignified, but highly amusing to all concerned. — Marmaduke Merry A Tale of Naval Adventures in Bygone Days

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trumpet

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