Instrumental: meaning, definitions and examples
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instrumental
[ ˌɪnstrəˈmɛnt(ə)l ]
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.
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
Word origin
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.
- ...
- 6009 satisfactorily
- 6010 lively
- 6011 strengthening
- 6012 instrumental
- 6013 declares
- 6014 disadvantage
- 6015 prints
- ...