Trumpeter

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈtɹʌmpɪtɚ/

Definitions

1. A person who performs music by playing a trumpet instrument ; a bird species characterized by its distinctive, loud, trumpet-like call
2. Someone skilled in producing sound from a brass horn known for its bright tone ; a bird known for vocalizations resembling trumpet blasts
3. An individual who plays melodies or signals on a brass wind instrument ; a bird recognized by its strong, resonant calls similar to a trumpet

Etymology: "Trumpeter" is about as transparent as English compounds get: a "trumpet" with the agent suffix "-er" attached, so it names whoever or whatever does the trumpeting. The suffix does the same job in "baker" or "singer," and the pattern has been productive for centuries, which is why new "-er" nouns can be coined on the spot. The trumpet itself is the older and more interesting half. It came into English from Old French "trompette," a diminutive of "trompe," meaning a long straight horn, a word of uncertain origin that may be imitative of the sound. The instrument was prized in medieval Europe for signaling in war and ceremony, so the people who played it were a recognized trade long before the word meant a bird. The bird sense is a natural extension. Trumpeter swans and trumpeter birds (the South American cranes-like family, Psophiidae) were named for their loud calls, which sound like a brass horn being blown. The name transfers the instrument's voice to the animal, and the person-and-bird meanings have stayed side by side ever since.

Synonyms: brass player, musician