instrumentation

noun

in·​stru·​men·​ta·​tion ˌin(t)-strə-mən-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce instrumentation (audio)
-ˌmen-
1
: the arrangement or composition of music for instruments especially for a band or orchestra
2
: the use or application of instruments (as for observation, measurement, or control)
3
: instruments for a particular purpose
also : a selection or arrangement of instruments

Examples of instrumentation in a Sentence

There was a problem with the airplane's instrumentation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Harrison had begun laying down instrumentation for the tune, though it was never completed during his lifetime. Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025 Songs have to be original and no longer than three minutes, lead vocals must be performed live, there can be no live instrumentation, and no more than six performers can be onstage at a time during a performance. Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 16 May 2025 With its fusion of regional Mexican instrumentation and subtle electronic elegance, DannyLux delivers intricate storytelling throughout. Tere Aguilera, Billboard, 16 May 2025 Choro, an instrumental Brazilian tradition that was among the first New World musical styles to combine European instrumentation with African rhythms, has found new audiences in recent years far from South America. Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for instrumentation

Word History

First Known Use

1818, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of instrumentation was in 1818

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Cite this Entry

“Instrumentation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/instrumentation. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

Kids Definition

instrumentation

noun
in·​stru·​men·​ta·​tion ˌin(t)-strə-mən-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce instrumentation (audio)
-ˌmen-
1
: the arrangement or composition of music for instruments
2
: instruments for a particular purpose
the instrumentation of an aircraft

Medical Definition

instrumentation

noun
in·​stru·​men·​ta·​tion ˌin(t)-strə-mən-ˈtā-shən, -ˌmen- How to pronounce instrumentation (audio)
: a use of or operation with instruments
especially : the use of one or more instruments in treating a patient (as in the passing of a cystoscope)

More from Merriam-Webster on instrumentation

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