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
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Noun
In addition to getting lessons and after-school tutoring from Gerdes, Windham has been taking private lessons for the past two years from John Wilds, a former trumpet player in the San Diego Symphony. Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 May 2025 For thousands of years, the native people of the Andes have made the inner bark of trumpet trees into a medicinal tea that is useful in fighting infections, shrinking tumors, numbing aches and pains, and strengthening the autoimmune system in general. Joshua Siskin, Oc Register, 10 May 2025
Verb
Lauder’s second-quarter fiscal-year 2025 results trumpeted some recent wins in the region, including Estée Lauder rebounding in makeup, La Mer performing better in skin care and Le Labo and Jo Malone London both improving in fragrance. Jenny B. Fine, Footwear News, 7 May 2025 There’s the Paramount ad from 1918 trumpeting that the studio had bought its own forest in Oregon to provide wood for film sets. Degen Pener, HollywoodReporter, 22 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for trumpet

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Trumpet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/trumpet. Accessed 19 May. 2025.

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

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