Illustration of flute
- flute 1b
1
a
b
: a keyed woodwind instrument consisting of a cylindrical tube which is stopped at one end and which has a side hole over which air is blown to produce the tone and having a range from middle C upward for three octaves
2
: something long and slender: such as
a
: a tall slender wineglass
b
: a grooved pleat (as on a hat brim)
3
: a rounded groove
specifically
: one of the vertical parallel grooves on a classical architectural column
fluted; fluting
fluter
noun
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This is a woodwind instrument whose sound is produced by blowing against a sharp edge. Flutes may be end-blown, like the recorder, or may have a round shape, like the ocarina; however, the term usually refers to the transverse flute of Western music. The transverse flute, a tubular instrument held sideways to the right, appeared in Greece and Italy by the second century ce. By the 16th century, flutes with finger holes but no keys were in use in Europe. Keys began to be added in the late 17th century. Later 19th-century innovations resulted in the modern flute. The cylindrical tube may be made of wood or, more often, a precious metal or alloy. The flute family also includes the piccolo, the alto flute, and the rare bass flute.
Examples of flute in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Reed Jackson,
SPIN,
26 June 2026
So to reel it in, Pillsbury and his band threw on a sitar — which made the cut on a few songs — and a flute solo.
—
Rachel Desantis,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
28 May 2026
For one, Golden Dolomite marble is fluted in a horizontal fashion with mappa burl veneer on the frame below, creating a striking contrast.
—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flute
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Noun
But Curls Ultra aren’t solely interested in resurrecting the mysticism of the past or indulging in the parties of the present, the occasional fluttering flute solo or boisterous sax line notwithstanding.
—
Reed Jackson,
SPIN,
26 June 2026
So to reel it in, Pillsbury and his band threw on a sitar — which made the cut on a few songs — and a flute solo.
—
Rachel Desantis,
PEOPLE,
24 June 2026
Verb
Gifford's favorite variety is seashell cosmos, which has fluted petals that look hand-curled.
—
Madeline Buiano,
Martha Stewart,
28 May 2026
For one, Golden Dolomite marble is fluted in a horizontal fashion with mappa burl veneer on the frame below, creating a striking contrast.
—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
28 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flute
Cite this Entry
“Flute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flute. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
flute
2 of 2 verb
fluted; fluting
1
: to play a flute
2
: to make a sound like that of a flute
3
: to form flutes in
fluted columns
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