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ENGLISH · A WORD WITH POSSIBILITIES

instrument.

A device used to produce music.

10 characters3 syllables approx.English language

Meaning & usage

noun/ˈɪnstɹəmənt//ˈɪnstɹʊmənt/
  1. A device used to produce music.

    The violinist was a master of her instrument.
  2. A means or agency for achieving an aspect.

  3. A measuring or displaying device.

    The instrument detected an increase in radioactivity.
  4. A tool, implement used for manipulation or measurement.

    The dentist set down his tray of instruments.
    The scientist recorded the temperature with a thermometer, but wished he had a more accurate instrument.
  5. A tool, implement used for manipulation or measurement. Ellipsis of flight instrument.

    abbreviation · alt-of · ellipsis · plural-normally
    Flight within clouds must be made by reference to your instruments.
  6. A legal document, such as a contract, deed, trust, mortgage, power, indenture, or will, or any of a class of negotiable ones (which can be exchanged for value or money).

    A bond indenture is the instrument that gives a bond its value.
    Negotiable instruments are the foundation of the debt markets.
  7. A person used as a mere tool for achieving a goal.

    figuratively
Where this word comes from

From Middle English instrument, from Old French instrument, from Latin īnstrūmentum (“an implement, tool”), From īnstruō (“build, construct; arrange”) + -mentum.

verb/ˈɪnstɹəmənt//ˈɪnstɹʊmənt/
  1. To apply measuring devices.

    transitive
    an instrumented test article
  2. To devise, conceive, cook up, plan.

    transitive
  3. To perform upon an instrument; to prepare for an instrument.

    a sonata instrumented for orchestra
Where this word comes from

From Middle English instrument, from Old French instrument, from Latin īnstrūmentum (“an implement, tool”), From īnstruō (“build, construct; arrange”) + -mentum.

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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.

Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.