Ophicleide

1 definition found

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

  Ophicleide \Oph"i*cleide\, n. [F. ophicl['e]ide, fr. Gr. 'o`fis
     a serpent + ?, gen. ?, a key. So named because it was in
     effect the serpent, an old musical instrument, with keys
     added.] (Mus.)
     A large brass wind instrument, formerly used in the orchestra
     and in military bands, having a loud tone, deep pitch, and a


     compass of three octaves; -- now generally supplanted by bass
     and contrabass tubas. It developed from the older wooden
     instrument called the {serpent}. --Moore (Encyc. of Music).
     [1913 Webster +PJC]