bassoon

/bəˈsun/

/bəˈsun/

Other forms: bassoons

A bassoon is a musical instrument with a low, rich tone. A bassoon is like a deep, bass version of an oboe.

In the category of woodwind instruments, which have reeds that rest on the musician's lips as she plays, the bassoon is the deepest-sounding. You will probably hear at least one bassoon if you attend a band or orchestral concert. The word bassoon comes from the 17th century French basson, sharing a Latin root with bass — bassus, or "low."

Definitions of bassoon

1. noun

   a double-reed instrument; the tenor of the oboe family
   types:

   contrabassoon, contrafagotto, double bassoon

   the bassoon that is the largest instrument in the oboe family

   tenoroon

   a tenor bassoon; pitched a fifth higher than the ordinary bassoon

   type of:

   double reed, double-reed instrument

   a woodwind that has a pair of joined reeds that vibrate together