carillon: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2Formal, Technical
Quick answer
What does “carillon” mean?
A set of bells in a tower, played using a keyboard or automatic mechanism to produce melodies.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A set of bells in a tower, played using a keyboard or automatic mechanism to produce melodies.
A musical composition written for such bells; also refers to the instrument itself or the art of playing it.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences; the concept is identical. Spelling is consistent.
Connotations
Evokes historic town squares, cathedrals, and universities in both cultures.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency and specialised in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “carillon” in a Sentence
[The carillon] [plays/chimes] [a tune][A carillon] [of X bells][to study/play] carillonVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “carillon” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The new clock was designed to carillon on the hour.
- The tower will carillon a festive melody for the jubilee.
American English
- The church bells will carillon at noon.
- The instrument is scheduled to carillon every evening.
adjective
British English
- The carillon music drifted across the cathedral close.
- He is a renowned carillon player.
American English
- We heard the carillon bells from the quad.
- She is studying carillon performance at university.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in musicology, history, and architectural studies.
Everyday
Rare, used when describing a specific landmark or sound.
Technical
Standard term in music, campanology, and organology.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “carillon”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “carillon”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “carillon”
- Mispronunciation: /ˈkærɪlɒn/ or /kɑːˈriːjɒn/.
- Using as a countable noun for a single bell.
- Misspelling: 'carillion', 'carilon'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Not exactly. A 'peal' refers to the sound or sequence of changes rung on a set of church bells, often by a team of ringers. A carillon is a specific chromatic instrument played by one person via a keyboard to produce melodies.
Yes, though rare and formal. It means 'to play on a carillon' or 'to sound like a carillon' (e.g., 'The bells carillon at noon').
They are strongly associated with the Netherlands, Belgium, and northern France, but are also found in university campuses, city towers, and some churches worldwide.
A carillon uses tuned bronze bells, typically hung in a stationary position in a tower. A glockenspiel is a percussion instrument with metal bars, played with mallets, and is portable.
A set of bells in a tower, played using a keyboard or automatic mechanism to produce melodies.
Carillon is usually formal, technical in register.
Carillon: in British English it is pronounced /kəˈrɪljən/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈkɛrəˌlɑːn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None. It is a technical term not used idiomatically.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a CAR that's filled with a million LIONs ringing bells. 'Car-i-llion' -> Carillon.
Conceptual Metaphor
A CARILLON IS A SINGING TOWER (personification of architecture).
Practice
Quiz
What is a carillonneur?