Hornbostel-Sachs

proper noun

A system of musical instrument classification based on the nature of the sound-producing material.

Ask AI about this wordChatGPTClaudePerplexityGoogle AIGrok

Meanings

proper noun

alternative Sachs-Hornbostel

  1. attributiveentertainmentA system of musical instrument classification based on the nature of the sound-producing material.

Origin

Devised by Erich Moritz von Hornbostel and Curt Sachs.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

Hornbostel-Sachs. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Hornbostel-Sachs

MLA

“Hornbostel-Sachs.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Hornbostel-Sachs. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Hornbostel-Sachs,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Hornbostel-Sachs.

Source: Hornbostel-Sachs on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.