xylophone

Word family

• xylophonist
  nounC2
• xylophonic
  adjectiveC2

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Xylophone, glockenspiel, marimba, and vibraphone are all pitched percussion instruments played with mallets. The xylophone has wooden bars and produces a bright, dry, percussive sound typical in orchestral music and school bands. The glockenspiel uses metal bars instead of wood, giving it a higher, bell-like tone often used to mimic stars or chimes. The marimba also has wooden bars but is larger, and each bar sits above a resonator tube that creates a softer, warmer tone with more sustain — it is especially common in Latin American music. The vibraphone uses metal bars with motor-driven rotating discs inside its resonator tubes, producing a smooth, wavering sound that is a staple of jazz. For example: 'The student played a simple folk tune on the xylophone.' vs 'The jazz ensemble featured a dreamy vibraphone solo.'

Common collocations

Etymology

From Greek 'xylon' (wood) and 'phone' (sound, voice), meaning literally 'wood sound.' The term was coined in the 19th century, though instruments built from wooden bars laid over a frame existed in Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific long before the European name appeared.