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Meaning & use

clavicord

noun·Advanced

Last updated

UK/ˈklævɪkɔːd/
US/ˈklævɪkɔːrd/

Meaning

  1. nouncountablemusic

    A small, quiet keyboard instrument from the Middle Ages and later, in which metal blades strike the strings when keys are pressed.

    Grammar: Counts as one instrument: play a clavicord.

    Patterns

    • play the clavicord

    Bach is said to have enjoyed practicing on a clavicord at home.

    A clavicord is so quiet it is hard to hear from across a room.

    The museum restored a clavicord made in the 1700s.

Word forms

pluralclavicords

Common combinations

play the clavicord
She learned to play the clavicord.
restore a clavicord
They helped restore a clavicord from Germany.
clavicord music
Clavicord music suits small, quiet rooms.
antique clavicord
An antique clavicord stood in the hall.
clavicord recital
The clavicord recital drew a small audience.

Synonyms and how they differ

harpsichord
The harpsichord plucks its strings and sounds louder and brighter than the clavicord.
piano
The piano's hammers allow loud and soft playing, whereas the clavicord is always quiet.
spinet
A spinet is a small harpsichord-style instrument, not a struck-string one.

Word family

clavichord noun
An alternative spelling.
clavier noun
An older word for a keyboard or keyboard instrument.

Commonly confused: clavicord or clavicle?

clavicord vs clavicle

The clavicle is the collarbone, not a musical instrument.

Practice

Which instrument has metal blades that press the strings, making a very soft sound?

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