Meaning & use
xylophone
A percussion instrument with wooden bars of different lengths that are struck with mallets to produce musical notes.
See it in a sentence
The music teacher handed each child a mallet and let them take turns playing the xylophone.
Her composition opens with a bright xylophone melody before the strings join in.
A note on using this word
The name comes from Greek roots meaning "wood sound." Do not confuse it with the marimba, a related instrument with a lower range and resonating tubes beneath the bars.
Words with a similar meaning
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