Meaning & use
oboist
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Meaning
nouncountable
A musician who plays the oboe, usually in an orchestra or chamber group.
Grammar: Countable: one oboist, two oboists. Use 'an oboist' when mentioning the role.
Patterns
- an oboist in an orchestra
- the principal oboist
She studied at the conservatory and now works as a freelance oboist.
The orchestra's principal oboist gave the tuning note before the concert.
As a young oboist, he practiced long tones every morning.
Word forms
| plural | oboists |
|---|
Common combinations
- principal oboist
- The principal oboist leads the woodwind section.
- freelance oboist
- He earns a living as a freelance oboist in the city.
- a fine oboist
- The reviewer called her a fine oboist with a warm tone.
- oboist in the orchestra
- My aunt is the oboist in the local orchestra.
Synonyms and how they differ
- oboist
- There is no common synonym; 'oboe player' is the only everyday alternative and is less formal.
Word family
- oboe noun
- The woodwind instrument with a double reed that an oboist plays.
Commonly confused: oboist or oboist vs. oboist?
oboist vs oboist vs. oboist
Do not confuse with 'oboist' and 'clarinettist'; an oboist plays the oboe, not the clarinet.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'oboist' correctly?
Choose one answer.
An oboist is a person, so it can be the subject or object of a sentence like 'She is a talented oboist.' The other options treat 'oboist' as an instrument or a section, which is wrong; you would say 'oboe' or 'oboe section'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “oboist”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.