Harmonica

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Harmonica \Har*mon"i*ca\ (-[i^]*k[.a]), n. [Fem. fr. L.
     harmonicus harmonic. See {Harmonic}, n. ]
     1. A musical instrument, consisting of a series of
        hemispherical glasses which, by touching the edges with
        the dampened finger, give forth the tones; it is now
        called the {glass harmonica}, to distinguish it from the


        common harmonica, formerly called the harmonicon.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. A toy instrument of strips of glass or metal hung on two
        tapes, and struck with hammers.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. A small wind musical instrument shaped like a flat bar
        with holes along the thin edges, held in the hand and
        producing notes from multiple vibrating reeds arranged
        inside along its length; it was formerly called the
        {harmonicon}. See {harmonicon}.
        [PJC]

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Harmonicon \Har*mon"i*con\ (-[i^]*k[o^]n), n.
     A small, flat, wind instrument of music, in which the notes
     are produced by the vibration of free metallic reeds; it is
     now called the {harmonica}.
     [1913 Webster +PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  harmonica
       n : a small rectangular free-reed instrument having a row of
           free reeds set back in air holes and played by blowing
           into the desired hole [syn: {mouth organ}, {harp}, {mouth
           harp}]