harmonium

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See also: Harmonium and harmóníum

English

An Indian harmonium.

Etymology

Borrowed from French harmonium, a term coined by French inventor Alexandre Debain in 1840.

Pronunciation

Noun

harmonium (plural harmoniums)

  1. (music) A small keyboard instrument that consists of a series of reed pipes, which sound when one of the keys is pressed to open a valve that allows air to pass through.
    • 1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “Which Describes Some Strange Doings in Hammersmith”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019:
      The only other man was a little grey-headed fellow with a pleasant face and quick, twinkling eyes, who sat at a harmonium in the corner.
    • 1933 January 9, George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], Down and Out in Paris and London, London: Victor Gollancz , →OCLC, page 244:
      They were a grave and reverend seignior in a frock coat, a lady sitting at a portable harmonium, and a chinless youth toying with a crucifix.
    • 1951 October, “Notes and News: The Harmonium at Troutbeck”, in Railway Magazine, page 709:
      It [Troutbeck] has religious isolation also, for it is several miles—and very strenuous miles in winter—from the parish church at Mungrisdale, and the introduction of the harmonium to the waiting room was due to the zeal of a vicar of many years ago who, in the absence of any other room in the village, obtained permission to use the premises for services, including Sunday School. Most of his successors have continued this self-sacrificing duty.
  2. Synonym for Hooke's atom.

Usage notes

In North America and the United Kingdom, a reed organ with pressure bellows is referred to as a harmonium, whereas in continental Europe, any reed organ is called a harmonium regardless of whether it has pressure or suction bellows.

Derived terms

Translations

See also

Further reading

French

Etymology

Coined by French inventor Alexandre Debain in 1840, based on harmonie.

Pronunciation

Noun

harmonium m (plural harmoniums)

  1. harmonium

Descendants

Further reading

Norman

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Noun

harmonium m (plural harmoniums)

  1. (Jersey) harmonium

Norwegian Bokmål

Norwegian Bokmål Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia nb

Noun

harmonium n (definite singular harmoniet, indefinite plural harmonier, definite plural harmonia or harmoniene)

  1. (music) a harmonium or pump organ
    Synonyms: pumpeorgel, salmesykkel, trøorgel, tråorgel

Norwegian Nynorsk

Norwegian Nynorsk Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia nn

Noun

harmonium n (definite singular harmoniet, indefinite plural harmonium, definite plural harmonia)

  1. (music) a harmonium or pump organ
    Synonyms: pumpeorgel, salmesykkel, trøorgel, tråorgel
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