free reed
noun
: a reed in a musical instrument (such as a harmonica) that vibrates in an air opening just large enough to allow the reed to move freely compare beating reed
Examples of free reed in a Sentence
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The instrument contains a free reed, a strip of flexible metal that flaps up and down when a player blows through the sheng’s holes, thus creating musical tones.
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Steve Knopper, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Mar. 2021
The Chinese invented a free reed instrument, called the Sheng, several thousand years ago, but the model that arrived in America originated in Europe.
—Joan Hunt, courant.com, 21 Nov. 2019
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Steve Knopper, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Mar. 2021
The Chinese invented a free reed instrument, called the Sheng, several thousand years ago, but the model that arrived in America originated in Europe.
—Joan Hunt, courant.com, 21 Nov. 2019
Cite this Entry
“Free reed.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/free%20reed. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
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