Vibraphone

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈvɑɪ.bɹəˌfəʊn/

Definitions

1. A percussion instrument made of resonant metal bars that produce sound when struck by mallets, often accompanied by resonator tubes for amplification
2. This instrument, characterized by its tuned metal bars struck with mallets, creates a rich sound enhanced by attached resonators for depth and resonance
3. An instrument belonging to the percussion family, featuring a series of metal bars tuned to specific pitches, which generate sound when hit by mallets and are often paired with resonating tubes for enhanced acoustics

Etymology: The vibraphone is a compound built from two pieces, and the second one is older than most of the instrument's history suggests. The "phone" part comes from Ancient Greek "phōnē", meaning "sound" or "voice", which is also the source of words like telephone and microphone. The first part is "vibrato", the Italian term for a trembling, pulsing effect in playing or singing, and the instrument's name pairs that idea with the Greek word for sound. The "vibra" element traces back further still, to a Proto-Indo-European root, but in English the word is simply a modern coinage made by joining these two parts. Its meaning is plain from the parts: an instrument whose sound is shaped by a vibrating quality.