Skip to content
Vinony

chalumeau

noun

  1. woodwind instrument; predecessor of modern clarinet
L1408089 on Wikidata ↗

Wiktionary

Pronunciation: /ˌʃælʊˈməʊ/

noun

Etymology: Borrowed from French chalumeau, from Late Latin calamellus, diminutive of Latin calamus (“reed”), from Ancient Greek κάλαμος (kálamos, “reed”). Doublet of shawm and probably caramel.

  1. A woodwind instrument which was the predecessor of the clarinet.
  2. The lowest range of the clarinet, reaching up to written B♭ (B flat) above middle C.