xylophone

noun

xy·​lo·​phone ˈzī-lə-ˌfōn 

also ˈzi-

: a percussion instrument consisting of a series of wooden bars graduated in length to produce the musical scale, supported on belts of straw or felt, and sounded by striking with two small wooden hammers

xylophonist

ˈzī-lə-ˌfō-nist 

also ˈzi-

noun

Illustration of xylophone

Examples of xylophone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

There’s little xylophone runs and bizarre sound effects that come out of nowhere, and the low Frank Zappa voice can be heard in some sections. — Devon Ivie, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2025

Hall tests the tank’s reverberating steel frame with finger snaps and the instruments’ bell tones, similar to those of xylophones. — Miguel Otárola, Denver Post, 10 Nov. 2025

Broadway buildings are adorned with Times Square-style marquees, massive drum kits anchor the jazz section, and huge xylophones and maracas add color to the calypso buildings. — Eve Chen, USA Today, 11 June 2026

Some seats, with their backs to the White House, will be for the United States Marine Band, with a xylophone, a keyboard and lots of sheet music stands in place. — Mark Puleo, New York Times, 11 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1866, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for xylophone

• acetone
• anglophone
• baritone
• bourguignon
• buspirone
• chaperon
• chaperone
• cobblestone
• collarbone
• cornerstone
• cortisone
• dictaphone

Kids Definition

xylophone

noun

xy·​lo·​phone ˈzī-lə-ˌfōn 

: a musical instrument consisting of a series of wooden bars varying in length and sounded by striking with two wooden hammers

xylophonist

-ˌfō-nəst 

noun

Etymology

from Greek xylo- "wood, of wood" (from xylon "wood") and English -phone "sound, a sound-producing device"