accordion

¹ac·cor·di·on

noun \ə-ˈkȯr-dē-ən\

Definition of ACCORDION

: a portable keyboard wind instrument in which the wind is forced past free reeds by means of a hand-operated bellows

— ac·cor·di·on·ist \-dē-ə-nist\ noun

Illustration of ACCORDION

Origin of ACCORDION

German Akkordion, from Akkord chord, from French accord, from Old French acord

First Known Use: 1830

Rhymes with ACCORDION

Edwardian

²accordion

adjective

Definition of ACCORDION

: folding or creased or hinged to fold like an accordion <an accordion pleat> <an accordion door>

First Known Use of ACCORDION

1852

Rhymes with ACCORDION

Edwardian

accordion

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Italian accordion, 19th century—Richard Saunders—Scope Associates, Inc.

Portable musical instrument that uses a hand-pumped bellows and two keyboards to sound free reeds, small metal tongues that vibrate when air flows past them. The keyboards on either side of the bellows effectively resemble individual reed organs. The right-hand keyboard plays the treble line or lines. Most of the keys on the left-hand (bass) keyboard sound three-note chords; “free-bass” accordions permit the playing of single-note lines. A prototype accordion, using buttons rather than keys, was patented in Berlin in 1822 by Friedrich Buschmann (also inventor of the harmonica). The instrument gained wide popularity in dance bands and as a folk instrument. See also concertina.