flexatone

noun

flex·​a·​tone ˈflek-sə-ˌtōn 

plural flexatones

: a small percussion instrument consisting of a tapered blade of flexible metal mounted in a wire frame which when the frame is shaken is struck alternately by two balls attached at the end of springy metal strips on either side of the sheet and whose pitch can be changed by thumb pressure on the blade

Word History

First Known Use

1924, in the meaning defined above

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