oboe
Oboe (noun) means a slender wooden wind instrument with a double reed, played in orchestras and bands. Example: “The oboe played the opening melody of the symphony.”
How to use oboe
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA woodwind instrument with a distinctive reedy, nasal tone.
Word forms
- Plural
- oboes
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The _____ played the opening melody of the symphony.
Etymology
Adopted into English around 1770 from Italian oboe, itself a spelling of the French hautbois ("high wood") — from haut ("high, loud") + bois ("wood").