French word

trompette

Pronunciation

IPA/tʁɔ̃pɛt/

Meaning

  • feminine nountrumpet

Example

Il joue de la trompette tous les dimanches.

He plays the trumpet every Sunday.

Illustration for trompette (trumpet)

More examples

Il a rangé sa trompette dans son étui après la répétition.

He put his trumpet in its case after rehearsal.

Core concept

A looped metal wind instrument whose buzzing lips set the air column ringing toward a wide bell.

Common phrases

  • jouer de la trompette

    play the trumpet

  • acheter une trompette

    buy a trumpet

  • cours de trompette

    trumpet lessons

Similar words

trombone: A brass instrument with long tubing or a slide and a deep, rich sound.
cornet: A brass instrument with coiled tubing and a soft, smooth tone.
saxophone: A metal woodwind instrument with a reed and a wide range of tones.
clarinette: A woodwind instrument with a reed and a clear, medium-to-high register.

Definition in French

Instrument à vent de la famille des cuivres, formé d'un tube enroulé terminé par un pavillon, que l'on fait sonner en faisant vibrer les lèvres sur une embouchure.

Word origin

Trompette was formed in French from trompe with the diminutive suffix -ette, while trompe has an imitative origin.

Usage tips

  • In trompette, the final e is silent and the word ends with the pronounced sound [ɛt], not an English-style long vowel.

Related words

  • trompettistetrumpet playernoun

Word lists with this word