Illustration of panpipe
: a wind instrument consisting of a series of short vertical pipes of graduated length bound together with the mouthpieces in an even row
—often used in plural
Examples of panpipe in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
After being released in 1994, the song became an instant earworm (and a karaoke go-to) thanks in large part to its instrumental intro, powered by a zampoña (traditional Andean panpipe), which lures you in.
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Billboard Staff, Billboard, 9 Sep. 2022
Pan found the shrub and used part of it to create the first panpipe.
—Jenny Krane, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2022
For all her peculiar complexity, my classmates wrote Enya off as easy listening, on par with panpipe Muzak.
—New York Times, 7 Sep. 2021
Ambitious students who might once have embarked upon an arduous training in neurosurgery can now stream the sound of panpipes, invest in a clutch of jade eggs, and swiftly prosper as wellness consultants.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2020
It’s all ceremonial mystery drums, glitching Andean panpipes, exoplanetary ocean surf-guitars and mesmerizing synthesizer technology of unknown provenance.
—Chris Richards, Washington Post, 9 Dec. 2019
The owner of one musical piece featuring panpipes was listed as the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, so Pescovitz called.
—Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 25 Aug. 2017
Carrots could be wind instruments — flutes, panpipes and clarinets, or, as Mr. Stuckenbruck called them, carronets.
—Annie Correal, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2017
Variously sporting an oversized Soprano’s-style leather jacket, a jaunty Hawaiian shirt and a small fedora hat, he has been filmed performing a rendition of A-Ha’s 80s classic, Take on Me, playing the maracas, drums and panpipes.
—Vanityfair.com, VanityFair.com, 10 Apr. 2017
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Billboard Staff, Billboard, 9 Sep. 2022
Pan found the shrub and used part of it to create the first panpipe.
—Jenny Krane, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2022
For all her peculiar complexity, my classmates wrote Enya off as easy listening, on par with panpipe Muzak.
—New York Times, 7 Sep. 2021
Ambitious students who might once have embarked upon an arduous training in neurosurgery can now stream the sound of panpipes, invest in a clutch of jade eggs, and swiftly prosper as wellness consultants.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2020
It’s all ceremonial mystery drums, glitching Andean panpipes, exoplanetary ocean surf-guitars and mesmerizing synthesizer technology of unknown provenance.
—Chris Richards, Washington Post, 9 Dec. 2019
The owner of one musical piece featuring panpipes was listed as the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, so Pescovitz called.
—Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 25 Aug. 2017
Carrots could be wind instruments — flutes, panpipes and clarinets, or, as Mr. Stuckenbruck called them, carronets.
—Annie Correal, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2017
Variously sporting an oversized Soprano’s-style leather jacket, a jaunty Hawaiian shirt and a small fedora hat, he has been filmed performing a rendition of A-Ha’s 80s classic, Take on Me, playing the maracas, drums and panpipes.
—Vanityfair.com, VanityFair.com, 10 Apr. 2017
Cite this Entry
“Panpipe.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/panpipe. Accessed 3 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
panpipe
noun
pan·pipe
ˈpan-ˌpīp 
: a musical instrument made up of several short pipes of different lengths and played by blowing air across the top
—usually used in plural
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