trombone

noun

trom·​bone träm-ˈbōn 

(ˌ)trəm-ˈbōn,

ˈträm-ˌbōn

: a brass instrument consisting of a long cylindrical metal tube with two turns and having a movable slide or valves for varying the tone and a usual range one octave lower than that of the trumpet

trombonist

träm-ˈbō-nist 

(ˌ)trəm-ˈbō-

ˈträm-ˌbō-

noun

Illustration of trombone

Examples of trombone in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Punk rock guitar is well represented by The Queers, while ska-punk — where guitars battle trumpets and trombones — doesn’t get any bigger than a triple of Sublime, Bouncing Souls and The Interrupters. —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 16 Aug. 2025

The Westerlies -- Riley Mulherkar and Chloe Rowlands, trumpet, and Andy Clausen and Addison Maye-Saxon, trombone, Morgan Hall, Stella Boyle Smith Music Center. —Eric E. Harrison, Arkansas Online, 16 Aug. 2025

Senior High School, dozens of students with matching backpacks walked through the front gates, serenaded by the school’s band, which included a tuba, two clarinets, a trumpet, a trombone, and drums. —Miami Herald, 14 Aug. 2025

In Friedman’s fourth season, then-principal trombone Robert Lambert went on a sick leave that became permanent. —Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Italian, augmentative of tromba trumpet, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German trumba, trumpa trumpet

First Known Use

circa 1724, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for trombone

• alone
• atone
• backbone
• bemoan
• bluestone
• breastbone
• brownstone
• capstone
• cheekbone
• condone
• curbstone
• cyclone

Kids Definition

trombone

noun

trom·​bone träm-ˈbōn 

(ˌ)trəm-

: a brass wind instrument with a section that can slide in and out to make different tones

trombonist

-ˈbō-nəst 

noun

Etymology

from Italian trombone, literally "large trumpet," from tromba "trumpet"