tromboon

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noun

A trombone with the reed and bocal of a bassoon placed instead of the usual mouthpiece, which combines the limitations of both instruments, producing a loud comical sound.

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Meanings

nountromboon (plural tromboons)

plural tromboons

  1. entertainmentA trombone with the reed and bocal of a bassoon placed instead of the usual mouthpiece, which combines the limitations of both instruments, producing a loud comical sound.
  2. An awkward union of disparate elements combining the disadvantages of both.

Origin

Blend of trombone + bassoon, humorously coined by composer Peter Schickele, attributed to fictitious composer P. D. Q. Bach.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

tromboon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tromboon

MLA

“tromboon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tromboon. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tromboon,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tromboon.

Source: tromboon on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.