khaen

noun

variants or less commonly khene or kaen or khen
plural khaens also khenes or kaens or khens
: a Southeast Asian mouth organ that consists of a small wooden reservoir through which pass a set of six to eighteen long bamboo pipes each with a tiny metal free reed in a side opening and that is played by exhaling and inhaling
In Thailand and Laos, the mouth organ called the khaen is also used for dancing, often while playing the instrument …Jeremy Montagu, Origins and Development of Musical Instruments, 2007

Word History

First Known Use

1955, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of khaen was in 1955

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Dictionary Entries Near khaen

Cite this Entry

“Khaen.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/khaen. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.

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