harmonica

noun

har·​mon·​i·​ca här-ˈmä-ni-kə 

1

: a small rectangular wind instrument with free reeds recessed in air slots from which tones are sounded by exhaling and inhaling

2

: glass harmonica

harmonicist

här-ˈmä-nə-sist 

noun

Examples of harmonica in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The family also has been unable to locate his banjo or harmonica. —Veronica Fulton, NBC news, 7 Apr. 2026

Buster is a professional touring musician who began playing harmonica at age 7 — inspired by his mother, herself a harmonica and guitar player. —Walker Armstrong, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2026

Meanwhile, Spike is dressed like a Blues Brother playing a bone like a harmonica. —Bethy Squires, Vulture, 25 Mar. 2026

Fitting his divergent cast of sounds into such a little space meant becoming a master of instrumental ambiguity, the type of composer/programmer able to make a lead guitar waveform sound like a harmonica. —Billie Bugara, Pitchfork, 7 Mar. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Italian armonica, feminine of armonico harmonious

First Known Use

1762, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Phrases Containing harmonica

• glass harmonica

Rhymes for harmonica

• japonica
• veronica
• chronica
• hanukkah

Kids Definition

harmonica

noun

har·​mon·​i·​ca här-ˈmän-i-kə 

: a small musical instrument that is held in the hand and played by the mouth and that produces a sound through metal reeds which vibrate as air is blown or drawn past them