trumpet

1 of 2

noun

trum·​pet ˈtrəm-pət How to pronounce trumpet (audio)
1
a
: a wind instrument consisting of a conical or cylindrical usually metal tube, a cup-shaped mouthpiece, and a flared bell
specifically : a valved brass instrument having a cylindrical tube with two turns and a usual range from F sharp below middle C upward for 2¹/₂ octaves
b
: a musical instrument (such as a cornet) resembling a trumpet
2
: a trumpet player
3
: something that resembles a trumpet or its tonal quality: such as
a
: a funnel-shaped instrument (such as a megaphone) for collecting, directing, or intensifying sound
b(1)
: a stentorian voice
(2)
: a penetrating cry (as of an elephant)
trumpetlike adjective

Illustration of trumpet

Illustration of trumpet
  • trumpet 1a

trumpet

2 of 2

verb

trumpeted; trumpeting; trumpets

intransitive verb

1
: to blow a trumpet
2
: to make a sound suggestive of that of a trumpet

transitive verb

: to sound or proclaim on or as if on a trumpet
trumpet the news

Examples of trumpet in a Sentence

Noun the trumpet of a flower Verb He likes to trumpet his own achievements. The law was trumpeted as a solution to everything.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Originally from West Chester, New York, Kamp was immersed in music early on, taking up trumpet in elementary school, then the bass in ninth grade. Garret K. Woodward, Rolling Stone, 21 Apr. 2024 Michelin applauds the Dungeness crab curry and salmon over king trumpet noodles in a tamarind and pineapple sauce. Connie Ogle, Miami Herald, 19 Apr. 2024 With his trumpet in hand, the 59-year-old has taken jazz to the next note ever since his childhood days. Jamie Wax, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2024 The show-stopping creation also featured trumpet sleeves, a dramatic train and corset detail. Catherine Santino, Peoplemag, 10 Apr. 2024 On Friday night, Bergonzi will perform at the all-ages Dizzy’s with a band that features fellow saxophonist (and SDSU jazz department head) Brian Levy, trumpet favorite Gilbert Castellanos, pianist Mikan Zlatkovich, bassist Julian Esparza and drummer Kevin Kanner. George Varga, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2024 But the major news is, in fact, about a jazz artist: trumpet legend Wynton Marsalis will be returning to the 200-seat Blue Note as a bandleader for the first time since 1991. Gary Graff, Billboard, 4 Apr. 2024 Over the past four years, Alexa has been strong learner and performer playing flute and trumpet in marching and jazz bands. Heide Janssen, Orange County Register, 17 Mar. 2024 The uptempo track opens with a jazzy intro and features a trumpet counter melody throughout. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 14 Mar. 2024
Verb
But such a policy gave tourists a $2.54 billion free ride each year on the back of the British taxpayer, trumpeted a then-chancellor Rishi Sunak. Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 1 Mar. 2024 In defending her bill this week, Stewart also trumpeted Visit Orlando’s civic involvement. Stephen Hudak, Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2024 The fashion world trumpeted Demi Moore, who wore a Balmain swan as procured by Brad Goreski to the Feud: Capote vs. The Swans’ NYC premiere. Carol McColgin, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Mar. 2024 Labor leaders trumpeted the deal as an unmitigated win. Suhauna Hussain, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024 Fort Lauderdale's mayor trumpeted his city as a spring break destination, but the city did take extra precautions. Claire Pedersen, ABC News, 19 Mar. 2024 And along the highway between the valley and downtown San Francisco, billboards trumpet the availability of Nvidia’s chief product — microprocessors known as GPUs — from start-ups that have bought the chips to cash in on the overwhelming demand. Taylor Telford, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 Policy-makers should start recognizing the world economy’s fault lines instead of trumpeting its resilience. Desmond Lachman, National Review, 8 Mar. 2024 Schiff, who has raised the most money, has run TV ads in recent weeks trumpeting Garvey’s two votes for Trump. Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 5 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'trumpet.' 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 trompette, from Anglo-French, from trumpe trump

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of trumpet was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near trumpet

Cite this Entry

“Trumpet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trumpet. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.

Kids Definition

trumpet

1 of 2 noun
trum·​pet ˈtrəm-pət How to pronounce trumpet (audio)
1
: a wind instrument consisting of a long cylindrical metal tube commonly once or twice curved and ending in a bell
2
: something shaped like a trumpet
3
: a sound like that of a trumpet

trumpet

2 of 2 verb
1
: to blow a trumpet
2
: to make a sound like that of a trumpet

More from Merriam-Webster on trumpet

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!