clarinet

noun

clar·​i·​net ˌkler-ə-ˈnet How to pronounce clarinet (audio)
ˌkla-rə-;
ˈkler-ə-nət,
ˈkla-rə-
: a single-reed woodwind instrument having a cylindrical tube with a moderately flared bell and a usual range from D below middle C upward for 3¹/₂ octaves
clarinetist noun
or clarinettist

Illustration of clarinet

Illustration of clarinet

Examples of clarinet in a Sentence

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.
Russell played a sweet clarinet as well as the night’s primary instrument, and Giddens of course spends as much time as a fiddler as banjoist, while Kiah concentrated on guitar and McCalla played a mixture of cello and guitar. Chris Willman, Variety, 21 June 2025 Adler, associate principal clarinet, New York Philharmonic. Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 24 May 2025 His intimate home concerts also inspired him to take up the clarinet several years ago, an experience that deepened his appreciation for the skill, discipline, and emotion that music requires. J.m. Banks, Kansas City Star, 31 May 2025 John Bruce Yeh, sitting principal clarinet for this program, brought a folky charm to the opening woodwind layers, and strings readily shapeshifted to meet Rouvali’s demands, from the wolfy, growling, low-register lines in the first movement to an ultra-legato melody opening the second. Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for clarinet

Word History

Etymology

French clarinette, probably ultimately from Medieval Latin clarion-, clario

First Known Use

1733, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of clarinet was in 1733

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Clarinet.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/clarinet. Accessed 25 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

clarinet

noun
clar·​i·​net ˌklar-ə-ˈnet How to pronounce clarinet (audio)
ˈklar-ə-nət
: a woodwind musical instrument in the shape of a cylindrical tube having a single-reed mouthpiece
clarinetist noun
or clarinettist

More from Merriam-Webster on clarinet

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