reeded

IPA/ˈriː.dɪd/
IPA/ˈriː.dɪd/

reeded — adjective

  • reededpositive
  • more reededcomparative
  • most reededsuperlative

1. describes a surface — especially glass, wood, or metal — that has been decorated

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a surface — especially glass, wood, or metal — that has been decorated with a pattern of narrow, raised lines running side by side

Example

The entrance hall had reeded glass panels that let in soft, filtered light.

attributive use: reeded glass

The carpenter ran his fingers along the reeded wooden cabinet, feeling the neat ridges.

Common collocations
  • reeded glass
  • reeded door
  • reeded panel
  • reeded column
  • reeded surface
  • reeded silver
Synonyms
  • ridged

    more general; describes any surface with raised lines, not necessarily decorative or evenly spaced

  • grooved

    describes channels cut into a surface (the opposite of raised); "reeded" describes raised lines, not indented ones

  • fluted

    describes rounded vertical channels (concave), common on classical columns; reeding is the convex counterpart

Antonyms
  • smooth

    having no raised texture at all

  • ribbed

    similar but with wider, more widely spaced bands rather than fine parallel lines

Grammar Patterns

reeded + noun (glass, wood, metal, surface)

Usage Note

Frequently used attributively (before a noun). This sense is distinct from "ribbed" or "fluted" — reeding consists of very narrow, close-set lines, whereas ribbing has wider bands and fluting has rounded concave channels.

2. describes the outer rim of a coin that has been marked with a series of thin ver

2.adjectiveC1
Definition

describes the outer rim of a coin that has been marked with a series of thin vertical lines or ridges running around its circumference

Example

The edge of a five-pound coin is reeded so that blind users can identify it by touch.

predicative use: ...is reeded

Collectors carefully examine whether a coin's reeded edge shows any signs of wear.

attributive: reeded edge (of coin)

Common collocations
  • reeded edge
  • reeded coin
  • reeded border
  • reeded rim
Synonyms
  • milled

    interchangeable in numismatic contexts; a milled edge is the same as a reeded edge

Antonyms
  • plain-edged

    describes a coin whose edge is completely smooth, without any lines or ridges

Grammar Patterns

reeded + noun (edge, border, rim)

Usage Note

Only describes the edge or rim of a coin, never the flat face. A coin is described as having a reeded edge, or the edge itself is called reeded.

Common Mistakes

The reeded coin fell on the floor.
The coin with a reeded edge fell on the floor.
a coin itself is not reeded; only its edge is reeded.

3. describes a wind instrument that produces sound through a reed — a narrow strip

3.adjectiveB2
Definition

describes a wind instrument that produces sound through a reed — a narrow strip of cane or metal — which vibrates when air is blown across it

Example

A clarinet is a reeded instrument, whereas a flute produces sound without a reed.

contrastive use: reeded vs non-reeded instrument

The oboe and the bassoon are both reeded woodwind instruments used in orchestras.

Common collocations
  • reeded instrument
  • reeded woodwind
Synonyms
  • reed

    used attributively ("reed instrument") with the same meaning; more common than "reeded" in musical contexts

Antonyms
  • non-reeded

    describes wind instruments like the flute or recorder that produce sound without a reed

  • brass

    describes instruments (trumpet, trombone) that use the player's lips to vibrate rather than a reed

Grammar Patterns

reeded + noun (instrument, woodwind)

Usage Note

Distinguish from "double-reed" instruments (oboe, bassoon) where two reeds vibrate against each other, and "single-reed" instruments (clarinet, saxophone) where one reed vibrates against the mouthpiece. This sense covers both types.

Common Mistakes

The flute is a reeded instrument.
The clarinet is a reeded instrument, but the flute is not.
a flute produces sound by blowing across an opening, not by vibrating a reed.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a surface with parallel linear features, but they differ in the shape and spacing of those features. "Reeded" specifically refers to very narrow, closely spaced raised lines — like the stalks of reeds growing side by side — and is common in decorative glass, woodwork, and silverware. "Ridged" is the most general term and can describe any surface with raised lines of any width or spacing, whether natural (a ridged mountain slope) or man-made. "Grooved" describes channels cut into the surface (concave), the opposite of the convex lines in reeding. "Fluted" describes rounded concave channels that are wider and more widely spaced, typically found on classical columns. "Ribbed" describes broader, more prominent raised bands, like the ribs on a radiator or a ribbed sweater. If you need a decorative pattern of fine raised lines on a piece of furniture or glass, "reeded" is the precise word; for a wider, structural ridge pattern, use "ribbed" or "ridged."

ridged ↗grooved ↗fluted ↗ribbed ↗

Etymology

EnglishOld EnglishGermanic

Formed from the noun "reed" (the tall, slender plant that grows in marshes) plus the suffix "-ed" ("having the quality of"). The decorative sense arose because the pattern of fine parallel raised lines resembles a group of reeds standing side by side. The coin-edge sense came later as a specific application of the same decorative technique (milled reeding on metal). The musical sense is a more direct link — the instrument simply has a reed fitted to it, and the pattern-sense is unrelated.

First known use

1801

1801, in the meaning defined at sense 1