membranophone: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical/Academic
Quick answer
What does “membranophone” mean?
A musical instrument where sound is primarily produced by a vibrating stretched membrane (skin or material).
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A musical instrument where sound is primarily produced by a vibrating stretched membrane (skin or material).
A class of instruments in musical instrument classification systems (like Hornbostel-Sachs) encompassing all drums, as well as instruments like kazoos, where a stretched membrane is the primary sound generator.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant usage difference; the term is identical and equally technical in both varieties.
Connotations
Purely technical/scientific in both dialects.
Frequency
Extremely rare in everyday speech in both regions, used almost exclusively in academic or specialist contexts.
Grammar
How to Use “membranophone” in a Sentence
[The/An] X is classified as a membranophone.Membranophones include [instrument names].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “membranophone” in a Sentence
adjective
British English
- The membranophone classification is essential for the museum's display.
- She studied membranophone construction techniques.
American English
- The membranophone category includes many non-Western instruments.
- His thesis focused on membranophone acoustics.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Used in musicology, anthropology, and ethnomusicology papers and textbooks to classify instruments systematically.
Everyday
Extremely rare. A general speaker would not use this term.
Technical
Core term in musical instrument classification systems, especially the Hornbostel-Sachs system.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “membranophone”
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “membranophone”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “membranophone”
- Misspelling as 'membraphone' or 'membranaphone'.
- Using it in casual conversation instead of 'drum'.
- Confusing it with 'idiophone' (instruments that vibrate themselves, like bells).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, if it has a skin head that is struck. However, the jingles (metal discs) around the frame make it a composite instrument, but it is primarily classified as a membranophone.
'Percussion instrument' is a much broader, functional category meaning an instrument that is struck. 'Membranophone' is a scientific classification based on the sound source. All membranophones are percussion instruments, but not all percussion instruments are membranophones (e.g., xylophones are idiophones).
For everyday English, no. It is a specialist term. You only need it if you are studying musicology, instrument making, or ethnomusicology.
Yes, all common drums are membranophones: snare drums, bass drums, tom-toms, bongos, congas, timpani, and hand drums like the djembe or bodhrán.
A musical instrument where sound is primarily produced by a vibrating stretched membrane (skin or material).
Membranophone is usually technical/academic in register.
Membranophone: in British English it is pronounced /mɛmˈbreɪ.nə.fəʊn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɛm.brə.nəˌfoʊn/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'MEMBRANE' + 'PHONE' (meaning sound, as in telephone). It's an instrument whose sound comes from a membrane.
Conceptual Metaphor
CLASSIFICATION AS A FAMILY (It belongs to the 'family' of membranophones).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is NOT a membranophone?