ocarina

ocarina

oc·a·ri·na

O0018600 (ŏk′ə-rē′nə)n. A small terra-cotta or plastic wind instrument with finger holes, a mouthpiece, and an elongated ovoid shape.

[Italian, from dialectal ucarenna, diminutive of Italian oca, goose (from the fact that its mouthpiece is shaped like a goose's beak), from Vulgar Latin *auca, from *avica, from Latin avis, bird; see awi- in Indo-European roots.]

ocarina

(ˌɒkəˈriːnə) n (Instruments) an egg-shaped wind instrument with a protruding mouthpiece and six to eight finger holes, producing an almost pure tone. Also called (US informal): sweet potato [C19: from Italian: little goose, from oca goose, ultimately from Latin avis bird]

oc•a•ri•na

(ˌɒk əˈri nə)

n., pl. -nas. a simple musical wind instrument shaped somewhat like an elongated egg with a mouthpiece and finger holes. Also called sweet potato. [1875–80; < Italian, orig. dial. (Emilia), diminutive of oca goose, so called from the instrument's shape]

Ocarina

A small, simple musical wind instrument with a body shaped something like a sweet potato.

Thesaurus

Noun

ocarina - egg-shaped terra cotta wind instrument with a mouthpiece and finger holessweet potatowind instrument, wind - a musical instrument in which the sound is produced by an enclosed column of air that is moved by the breath

Translations

ocarina

(ŏkərē`nə), musical wind instrument with eight finger holes and two thumb holes, rather egg-shaped, and made of metal, terra-cotta or plastic. Unlike other wind instuments, it produces pure tones that lack overtones. It was invented in the late 19th cent. in Italy and is popular with amateurs for its relative simplicity and low cost. It is occasionally called a "sweet potato" because of its shape.

Ocarina

a wind instrument having a whistle-like structure; a type of flute.

The body (earthenware or porcelain) of the ocarina is oval or cigar-shaped and forms a nozzle that has a mouthpiece and whistle opening. The instrument has between seven and ten finger holes, which are used to alter pitch. It plays a diatonic scale. Ocarinas have been made in the most diverse sizes and varieties (ranging from a soprano to a bass). Some are equipped with a tuning plunger and valves. The ocarina is widespread among all peoples. Any of the ceramic whistles usually made in the form of a bird or fish are considered ocarina instruments.

ocarina

an egg-shaped wind instrument with a protruding mouthpiece and six to eight finger holes, producing an almost pure tone

ocarina

oc·a·ri·na

ocarina

oc•a•ri•na

Ocarina

ocarina

ocarina

Ocarina

ocarina

ocarina

Synonyms for ocarina

noun egg-shaped terra cotta wind instrument with a mouthpiece and finger holes

Synonyms

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