barrel organ

noun

: an instrument for producing music by the action of a revolving cylinder studded with pegs on a series of valves that admit air from a bellows to a set of pipes

Examples of barrel organ in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Every girl needs an old-timey barrel organ. Christina Catherine Martinez, Los Angeles Times, 8 June 2022 Robots in movies these days are too busy finding true love and overcoming adversity to use the barrel organ of machine guns in their chests. Bruno Maddox, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2010 The old barrel organ started the song about Russian doping again. BostonGlobe.com, 2 Aug. 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1750, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of barrel organ was in 1750

Dictionary Entries Near barrel organ

Cite this Entry

“Barrel organ.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/barrel%20organ. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

barrel organ

noun
: an instrument producing music by a series of pegs arranged around a revolving cylinder so that they open valves to admit air from a bellows to a set of pipes

More from Merriam-Webster on barrel organ

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!