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instrumental
[ in-struh-men-tl ]
adjective
- serving or acting as an instrument or means; useful; helpful.
Synonyms: , ,
- performed on or written for a musical instrument or instruments:
instrumental music.
- of or relating to an instrument or tool.
- Grammar.
- (in certain inflected languages, as Old English and Russian) noting or pertaining to a case having as its distinctive function the indication of means or agency, as Old English beseah blīthe andweitan “looked with a happy countenance.”
- noting the affix or other element characteristic of this case, or a word containing such an element.
- similar to such a case form in function or meaning, as the Latin instrumental ablative, 徱ō, “by means of a sword.”
- (in case grammar) pertaining to the semantic role of a noun phrase that indicates the inanimate, nonvolitional, immediate cause of the action expressed by a verb, as the rock in The rock broke the window or in I broke the window with the rock.
noun
- Grammar.
- the instrumental case.
- a word in the instrumental case.
- a construction of similar meaning.
- a musical composition played by an instrument or a group of instruments. Compare vocal ( def 8 ).
instrumental
/ ˌɪԲٰəˈɛԳə /
adjective
- serving as a means or influence; helpful
- of, relating to, or characterized by an instrument or instruments
- played by or composed for musical instruments
- grammar denoting a case of nouns, etc, in certain inflected languages, indicating the instrument used in performing an action, usually translated into English using the prepositions with or by means of
noun
- a piece of music composed for instruments rather than for voices
- grammar
- the instrumental case
- a word or speech element in the instrumental case
Derived Forms
- ˌԲٰܳˈٲٲ, noun
- ˌԲٰˈԳٲ, adverb
Other Word Forms
- ȴٰ·t· adverb
- ԴDzi·ٰ·t adjective
- ԴDzi·ٰ·t·ly adverb
- ܲi·ٰ·t adjective
- ܲi·ٰ·t·ly adverb
Word History and Origins
Origin of instrumental1
Example Sentences
Gurr first started working for Disney in late 1954, just months before Disneyland would open in July 1955, and is one of the figures instrumental in the look, feel and tone of the park.
Phil told him that he could write anything he wanted and for any instrumental and vocal forces he wanted as long as he kept the length to 30 minutes.
“The ‘Couples Therapy’ viewing, I think, was very instrumental in accelerating something between the four of us,” says Yang, who kicked this off with his co-stars upon the release of the show’s fourth season.
Our end credits always have an instrumental song but only once after Episode 13 did we play the lyrics.
The “Ode” celebrates in exalted song and irresistibly vivid instrumental invention, the wonder of music in all its processes and measures.
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