hand organ

noun

: a barrel organ operated by a hand crank

Examples of hand organ in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
At least one hand organ player outfitted his monkey with a red jacket—apparently an early instance of a type of street entertainment that spread across American cities by the early twentieth century. Livia Gershon, JSTOR Daily, 21 Sep. 2025 Nearby, Brundibár, who plays a hand organ, becomes angry and drives them off. Domenica Bongiovanni, The Indianapolis Star, 16 Mar. 2022

Word History

First Known Use

1721, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of hand organ was in 1721

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hand organ.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hand%20organ. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

Kids Definition

hand organ

noun
: a barrel organ operated by a hand crank
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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