: 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
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
Noun
London spots, new and not, are now breaking out the flutes.—Kate Krader, Fortune Europe, 23 May 2024 Safe for any age, this innovative cube includes instrument sounds from the harp, flute, French horn, piano, and violin.—Maya Polton, Parents, 17 May 2024
Verb
That bezel was fluted to receive an interlocking tool used to screw the bezel on and off of the mid-case.—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 11 May 2024 For decades, Rolex’s fluted bezels have served no function, and the fluting itself has become gently flared (more like waves than ridges) to the point where, even if one tried, no tool could interlock.—Allen Farmelo, Robb Report, 11 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for flute
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flute.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Etymology
Noun
Middle English floute, from Anglo-French floute, fleute, from Old French flaüte, probably of imitative origin
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