panpipe

noun

pan·​pipe ˈpan-ˌpīp How to pronounce panpipe (audio)
: a wind instrument consisting of a series of short vertical pipes of graduated length bound together with the mouthpieces in an even row
often used in plural

Illustration of panpipe

Illustration of panpipe

Examples of panpipe in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web After being released in 1994, the song became an instant earworm (and a karaoke go-to) thanks in large part to its instrumental intro, powered by a zampoña (traditional Andean panpipe), which lures you in. Billboard Staff, Billboard, 9 Sep. 2022 Pan found the shrub and used part of it to create the first panpipe. Jenny Krane, Better Homes & Gardens, 1 Sep. 2022 For all her peculiar complexity, my classmates wrote Enya off as easy listening, on par with panpipe Muzak. New York Times, 7 Sep. 2021 Ambitious students who might once have embarked upon an arduous training in neurosurgery can now stream the sound of panpipes, invest in a clutch of jade eggs, and swiftly prosper as wellness consultants. Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2020 It’s all ceremonial mystery drums, glitching Andean panpipes, exoplanetary ocean surf-guitars and mesmerizing synthesizer technology of unknown provenance. Chris Richards, Washington Post, 9 Dec. 2019 The owner of one musical piece featuring panpipes was listed as the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation, so Pescovitz called. Marina Koren, The Atlantic, 25 Aug. 2017 Carrots could be wind instruments — flutes, panpipes and clarinets, or, as Mr. Stuckenbruck called them, carronets. Annie Correal, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2017 Variously sporting an oversized Soprano’s-style leather jacket, a jaunty Hawaiian shirt and a small fedora hat, he has been filmed performing a rendition of A-Ha’s 80s classic, Take on Me, playing the maracas, drums and panpipes. Vanityfair.com, VanityFair.com, 10 Apr. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'panpipe.' 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

Pan, its traditional inventor

First Known Use

1820, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of panpipe was in 1820

Dictionary Entries Near panpipe

Cite this Entry

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

Kids Definition

panpipe

noun
pan·​pipe ˈpan-ˌpīp How to pronounce panpipe (audio)
: a musical instrument made up of several short pipes of different lengths and played by blowing air across the top
usually used in plural

More from Merriam-Webster on panpipe

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!