flute

1 of 2

noun

1
b
: a keyed woodwind instrument consisting of a cylindrical tube which is stopped at one end and which has a side hole over which air is blown to produce the tone and having a range from middle C upward for three octaves
2
: something long and slender: such as
a
: a tall slender wineglass
b
: a grooved pleat (as on a hat brim)
3
: a rounded groove
specifically : one of the vertical parallel grooves on a classical architectural column
flutelike adjective
fluty adjective
or flutey

Illustration of flute

Illustration of flute
  • flute 1b

flute

2 of 2

verb

fluted; fluting

intransitive verb

1
: to play a flute
2
: to produce a flutelike sound

transitive verb

1
: to utter with a flutelike sound
2
: to form flutes in
fluter noun

Did you know?

This is a woodwind instrument whose sound is produced by blowing against a sharp edge. Flutes may be end-blown, like the recorder, or may have a round shape, like the ocarina; however, the term usually refers to the transverse flute of Western music. The transverse flute, a tubular instrument held sideways to the right, appeared in Greece and Italy by the second century ce. By the 16th century, flutes with finger holes but no keys were in use in Europe. Keys began to be added in the late 17th century. Later 19th-century innovations resulted in the modern flute. The cylindrical tube may be made of wood or, more often, a precious metal or alloy. The flute family also includes the piccolo, the alto flute, and the rare bass flute.

Examples of flute in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
If whistling is the indeed new flute this year, L.A. will have to swoon from afar. August Brown, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 The twinkling lights of Tinker's patio entrance welcome diners to a celebration of food, starting with flutes of complimentary champagne dubbed the Tinker Toast. Detroit Free Press, 23 Feb. 2024 Philly fans will have their chance to see André 3000 bring his flute project New Blue Sun to the stage for a live performance. Joseph Hudak, Rolling Stone, 19 Feb. 2024 Served in a flute, the drink mixes JP Woodford reserve, roasted pears (sautéed in brown sugar and honey, then muddled), maple syrup, lemon and topped with sparkling wine. Michael J. Solender, Charlotte Observer, 29 Jan. 2024 Following the film screening, guests ambulated across the street to the lavish Baccarat Hotel for champagne flutes and a raw bar. Zachary Schwartz, Vogue, 7 Feb. 2024 Place the soaked cube at the bottom of a Champagne flute, then top with sparkling wine. Kevin Gavagan, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024 One of the other delightful eccentricities of the work is that Ives uses a flute only in the final few pages. Patrick Neas, Kansas City Star, 26 Jan. 2024 The band used flutes, clarinets and trumpets to play the songs’ melodies. Kyle Melnick, Washington Post, 14 Jan. 2024
Verb
There are 13-foot-high ceilings throughout, floor-to-ceiling heritage windows, herringbone floors, and fluted millwork columns. Emma Reynolds, Robb Report, 11 Dec. 2023 Bustamante recommends incorporating curves and fluting to enhance soft, earthy palettes. 5. Kristina McGuirk, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Dec. 2023 And while there were lovely moments throughout its 28-or-so minutes — the opening assembly of harp and flute atop a scrim of ascendant strings was a sublime start — missing was the darkness and depth of Frost’s forest, and the poetry and power of Kennedy’s vision. Michael Andor Brodeur, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2023 There’s a Baroque guitar; some Colombian gaita flutes; a French musical saw; a shourangiz (a Persian instrument resembling a traditional poet’s lute); an Array mbira (a giant chromatic thumb piano, made in San Diego); a Turkish clarinet; and a Chinese guqin. Jaron Lanier, The New Yorker, 22 July 2023 Barrels are fluted and measure 22 to 26 inches in length, depending on caliber. Mike Dickerson, Field & Stream, 19 July 2023 The juxtaposition between its approachable tartan pattern and formal crystal material lends this Ralph Lauren flute the versatility that earns its place as our best Champagne flute to splurge on this year. Maria Conti, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Jan. 2023 Legend have 22-inch barrels, while guns in .450 Bushmaster have 20-inch barrels that are fluted and threaded on some versions. Michael Dickerson, Outdoor Life, 10 Apr. 2023 In the living room, Brooks repeated the same fluting detail seen on the the kitchen island, but this time in a deep green color that adorns the TV wall. Natalia Senanayake, Peoplemag, 4 Apr. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flute.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English floute, from Anglo-French floute, fleute, from Old French flaüte, probably of imitative origin

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of flute was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near flute

Cite this Entry

“Flute.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flute. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

flute

1 of 2 noun
1
: a woodwind instrument played by blowing across a hole near the closed end
2
: a rounded groove
especially : one on an architectural column
flutelike adjective

flute

2 of 2 verb
fluted; fluting
1
: to play a flute
2
: to make a sound like that of a flute
3
: to form flutes in
fluted columns
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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