Illustration of bagpipe
: a wind instrument consisting of a reed melody pipe and from one to five drones with air supplied continuously either by a bag with valve-stopped mouth tube or by bellows
—often used in plural
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This is a wind instrument that consists of two or more single- or double-reed pipes. The reeds are vibrated by wind caused by arm pressure on a skin or cloth bag. The pipes are held in wooden sockets tied into the bag, which is inflated either by the mouth or by bellows strapped to the body. Melodies are played on the finger holes of the melody pipe, or chanter, while the remaining pipes, or drones, sound single notes. Bagpipes existed by c. 100 ce. The early bag was an animal bladder or a nearly whole sheepskin or goatskin. Bagpipes have always been folk instruments. An important related instrument is the Irish union (or uilleann) pipes.
Examples of bagpipe in a Sentence
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The other, slightly larger, was a girl who played the bagpipes and had hair that curled up at the ends.
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Jhumpa Lahiri, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
The bagpipes began to play a few moments later and the crowd of officers saluted as the casket, draped in a Chicago flag, stood ready to be loaded into a waiting hearse.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025
It’s dotted with wacky indie comedy, like the opening scene in which Buddy, Les, and a school principal discuss whether Les is repelled by vaginas, or Buddy and Les’s morning ritual of standing on their front lawn and playing the bagpipes.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 June 2025
Other activities starting at 6 p.m. at the Great Lawn, 100 N. Clematis St., include the national anthem, a color guard presentation, drumline and bagpipe music, and a large flag unfurling with over 50 volunteers.
—Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 2 July 2025
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Jhumpa Lahiri, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
The bagpipes began to play a few moments later and the crowd of officers saluted as the casket, draped in a Chicago flag, stood ready to be loaded into a waiting hearse.
—Caroline Kubzansky, Chicago Tribune, 25 June 2025
It’s dotted with wacky indie comedy, like the opening scene in which Buddy, Les, and a school principal discuss whether Les is repelled by vaginas, or Buddy and Les’s morning ritual of standing on their front lawn and playing the bagpipes.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 11 June 2025
Other activities starting at 6 p.m. at the Great Lawn, 100 N. Clematis St., include the national anthem, a color guard presentation, drumline and bagpipe music, and a large flag unfurling with over 50 volunteers.
—Kari Barnett, Sun Sentinel, 2 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for bagpipe
Cite this Entry
“Bagpipe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bagpipe. Accessed 1 Aug. 2025.
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