accordion

1 of 2

noun

ac·​cor·​di·​on ə-ˈkȯr-dē-ən 

: a portable keyboard wind instrument in which the wind is forced past free reeds by means of a hand-operated bellows

accordionist

ə-ˈkȯr-dē-ə-nist 

noun

Illustration of accordion

accordion

2 of 2

adjective

: folding or creased or hinged to fold like an accordion

an accordion pleat

an accordion door

Examples of accordion in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The circus starts with a few booming notes from Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony but swiftly switches to the show’s original musical score, which through the evening shifts from lush 1960s-style pop to a raucous onstage accordion/violin duo. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 14 Mar. 2025

The Accordion Blues Though many associate the accordion with polkas and klezmer, the instrument played an important role in Black music after its arrival in the United States. —JSTOR Daily, 20 Feb. 2025

His mother, Olive Louella Pentland, played piano and accordion and sang. —Peter Applebome, New York Times, 21 Jan. 2025

The mad professor could play organ, piano, accordion, horns — anything to serve the song. —Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 21 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

borrowed from German Accordion (now Akkordeon), from Accord (now Akkord) "chord" (borrowed from French accord "chord, harmony, accord entry 2") + -ion (as in Melodion, an earlier keyboard instrument, from Melodie melody + -on, probably the Greek neuter noun ending)

Adjective

derivative of accordion entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1830, in the meaning defined above

Adjective

1852, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing accordion

• piano accordion

Rhymes for accordion

• edwardian
• gordian

Kids Definition

accordion

1 of 2 noun

ac·​cor·​di·​on ə-ˈkȯrd-ē-ən 

: a musical instrument that has a keyboard and a bellows and that produces tones when air is forced past metal reeds

accordionist

-ē-ə-nəst 

noun

accordion

2 of 2 adjective

: creased to fold like an accordion

accordion doors