ocarina

[ ok-uh-ree-nuh ]
/ ˌɒk əˈri nə /

noun

a simple musical wind instrument shaped somewhat like an elongated egg with a mouthpiece and finger holes.
Also called sweet potato.

Origin of ocarina

< Italian, orig. dial. (Emilia), diminutive of oca goose (< Late Latin auca, contraction of *avica, derivative of Latin avis bird), so called from the instrument's shape; apparently the name given to it by Giuseppe Donati of Budrio, near Bologna, who popularized a ceramic version c1860

OTHER WORDS FROM ocarina

oc·a·ri·nist, noun

Words nearby ocarina

oc-, oc., oca, ocala, ocam, ocarina, occ., occam, occam's razor, occas., occasion

Example sentences from the Web for ocarina

  • The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, considered by some to be the best game of all time, was remade for the 3DS in 2011.

    Video Games Go Wild for Reboots |Alec Kubas-Meyer |July 6, 2014 |DAILY BEAST

  • The neighbouring forest was soon echoing the strident notes of xylophone, banjo, ocarina and trombone.

    Indo-China and Its Primitive People |Henry Baudesson

  • Im a-goin south from here to give a Chinese lady a lesson on the ocarina.

    Dust of the Desert |Robert Welles Ritchie

  • Ma'am, if you never do, at least remember that the flute was an ocarina.

    The Dop Doctor |Clotilde Inez Mary Graves

British Dictionary definitions for ocarina

ocarina
/ (ˌɒkəˈriːnə) /

noun

an egg-shaped wind instrument with a protruding mouthpiece and six to eight finger holes, producing an almost pure tone Also called (US informal): sweet potato

Word Origin for ocarina

C19: from Italian: little goose, from oca goose, ultimately from Latin avis bird