Definition

A musical instrument made of wooden bars that are struck with mallets to produce sound, arranged in a way that allows for playing different musical notes.

Example

The children played a beautiful melody on the xylophone during the school concert.

Conversation

Have you ever played a xylophone?

No, I haven't, but it looks like a lot of fun!

It really is! The sound is so nice when you hit the bars.

I’d love to try it out sometime.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Xylophone → It is formed from "xylo-" (from Greek "xylon", meaning wood) and "-phone" (from Greek "phone", meaning sound or voice). The word "xylophone" refers to a musical instrument that produces sound from wooden bars struck by mallets.

Memory Tip

Think of 'wood' ('xylo-') creating 'sound' ('phone') — that's how a xylophone makes music.

Visually Confused Words