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Instrumental: meaning, definitions and examples

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instrumental

 

[ ˌɪnstrəˈmɛnt(ə)l ]

Adjective / Noun
Context #1 | Adjective

musical

Relating to or done with an instrument or tool. In music, it refers to a piece of music played by instruments, rather than sung. In grammar, it is a case expressing means or agency.

Synonyms

musical, orchestral, tool-based

Examples of usage

  • In the instrumental version of the song, the piano takes the lead.
  • She won the competition playing the violin, showcasing her instrumental skills.
  • In the sentence 'He fixed the car with a wrench,' 'with a wrench' is in the instrumental case.
Context #2 | Noun

grammar

A grammatical case expressing the means or instrument used to perform an action.

Synonyms

case, grammatical case

Examples of usage

  • The instrumental in Russian indicates the means by which an action is done.
  • In the sentence 'He cut the bread with a knife,' 'with a knife' is in the instrumental case.

Translations

Translations of the word "instrumental" in other languages:

🇵🇹 instrumental

🇮🇳 वाद्य

🇩🇪 instrumental

🇮🇩 instrumental

🇺🇦 інструментальний

🇵🇱 instrumentalny

🇯🇵 インストゥルメンタル

🇫🇷 instrumental

🇪🇸 instrumental

🇹🇷 enstrümantal

🇰🇷 기악의

🇸🇦 آلي

🇨🇿 instrumentální

🇸🇰 inštrumentálny

🇨🇳 器乐

🇸🇮 instrumentalen

🇮🇸 hljóðfæraleikur

🇰🇿 аспаптық

🇬🇪 ინსტრუმენტალური

🇦🇿 alət

🇲🇽 instrumental

Etymology

The word 'instrumental' has Latin roots, coming from the Latin word 'instrumentalis,' which means 'pertaining to an instrument.' It has been used in English since the 16th century, originally referring to musical instruments. Over time, its usage expanded to include grammar and other fields. The term has evolved to encompass a wide range of meanings relating to tools, means, and agency.

See also: instrument, instrumentalist, instrumentation, instruments.

Word Frequency Rank

At #6,012 in frequency, this word belongs to advanced vocabulary. It's less common than core vocabulary but important for sophisticated expression.