trombone

noun

trom·​bone träm-ˈbōn 

(ˌ)trəm-ˈbōn, 

ˈträm-ˌbōn

: a brass instrument consisting of a long cylindrical metal tube with two turns and having a movable slide or valves for varying the tone and a usual range one octave lower than that of the trumpet

trombonist

träm-ˈbō-nist 

(ˌ)trəm-ˈbō-, 

ˈträm-ˌbō-

noun

Illustration of trombone

Examples of trombone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Cal’s Kevin Moen completed the lateral-laden return for a touchdown, running between several band members and then through trombone player Gary Tyrrell at the end. —Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 20 Nov. 2025

Stop the trumpets, trombones and saxophones for a minute. —Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025

New Orleans is a town where a trombone can cause a traffic jam, and a sousaphone can lure a thousand people into the streets. —Jenny Adams, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025

The Sinaloa band sounds smooth without losing its key elements powered by clarinets, tuba, timbales and trombone. —Tere Aguilera, Billboard, 26 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian, augmentative of tromba trumpet, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German trumba, trumpa trumpet

First Known Use

circa 1724, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for trombone

• alone
• atone
• backbone
• bemoan
• bluestone
• breastbone
• brownstone
• capstone
• cheekbone
• condone
• curbstone
• cyclone

Kids Definition

trombone

noun

trom·​bone träm-ˈbōn 

(ˌ)trəm-

: a brass wind instrument with a section that can slide in and out to make different tones

trombonist

-ˈbō-nəst 

noun

Etymology

from Italian trombone, literally "large trumpet," from tromba "trumpet"