saxophone

noun

sax·​o·​phone ˈsak-sə-ˌfōn How to pronounce saxophone (audio)
: one of a group of single-reed woodwind instruments usually ranging from soprano to bass and characterized by a conical metal tube and finger keys
saxophonic
ˌsak-sə-ˈfō-nik How to pronounce saxophone (audio)
-ˈfä-
adjective
saxophonist
ˈsak-sə-ˌfō-nist How to pronounce saxophone (audio)
especially British sak-ˈsä-fə-
noun

Illustration of saxophone

Illustration of saxophone

Examples of saxophone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At least a computer might know that’s not a saxophone, hiding like a serpent beneath the piano bench. — Grayson Haver Currin, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026 Yamaha was doing it in 1993 with the VL1, mathematically recreating the airflow, reeds, and resonances of saxophones and other acoustic instruments, while Line 6, among others, later applied the same broad idea to guitar amps. — New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2026 Hawkins remembers summer evenings when Ford would sit on his back porch playing saxophone or open the windows of his home and let the music carry through the neighborhood. — Kansas City Star, 12 Oct. 2026 In 2016, John Heliwell, who plays saxophone and clarinet for Supertramp, agreed to play on a TPT song. — Liza Lentini, SPIN, 9 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for saxophone

Word History

Etymology

French, from Antoine-Joseph (or Adolphe) Sax †1894 Belgian instrument maker + French -phone

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of saxophone was in 1851

Rhymes for saxophone

See All Rhymes for saxophone

Browse Nearby Words

saxony green
saxophone
saxophonist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Saxophone.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/saxophone. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

saxophone

noun
sax·​o·​phone ˈsak-sə-ˌfōn How to pronounce saxophone (audio)
: a musical instrument of the woodwind class consisting of a usually curved metal tube with finger keys and a reed mouthpiece
saxophonist
-ˌfō-nəst How to pronounce saxophone (audio)
noun
Etymology

named for Antoine "Adolph" Sax 1814–1894 a Belgian maker of musical instruments

More from Merriam-Webster on saxophone

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about saxophone

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