Mouthpieces

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A component that delivers or amplifies sound in musical instruments
2. A person or entity that expresses the views or opinions of others
3. An attachment or device designed to fit in the mouth for various purposes such as communication or support

Etymology: "Mouthpieces" is the plural of "mouthpiece," a compound formed from "mouth" and "piece." The second element carries the sense of a part or component, so a mouthpiece is literally a piece that fits the mouth. The same construction gives us the older figurative sense of a spokesperson, a person who speaks on behalf of another, since the speaker serves as the mouth through which someone else's views are voiced. The compound is transparent in its physical sense: a mouthpiece is whatever sits between the lips, whether the reed of a wind instrument, the stem of a pipe, or a protective guard worn in contact sports. Its literal use for protective and musical devices is the older and more concrete meaning, and the figurative use for a representative grew out of it by analogy.

Synonyms: nozzles, attachments