Contrabassoon

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A large woodwind instrument that plays bass notes and resembles a bassoon but is pitched an octave lower
2. A double-reed instrument capable of producing deep, rich tones, often used in orchestras for a unique sound
3. An orchestral woodwind that resembles a bassoon in structure but delivers sounds an octave lower, enhancing the bass range of ensembles

Etymology: The contrabassoon is named for the bassoon, which it doubles an octave lower. Its Italian name, "contrafagotto", combines "contra-", meaning below or counter in this sense, with "fagotto", the Italian word for bassoon, which itself means a bundle of sticks, a reference to the instrument's folded tube. English speakers adapted the Italian term into a form that sounds more like home, probably on the pattern of "contrabass", the English word for the double bass, borrowed from Italian "contrabbasso". The word is a clear example of how instrument names travel by analogy. Once English had "contrabass" for the lowest string instrument, a lower woodwind naturally took the same prefix. The result is a compound built from familiar parts rather than an invented or distant term, and its shape tells you its place in the orchestra at a glance.

Synonyms: bassoon, woodwind, double reed instrument, bass instrumentation, orchestral instrument