pianist

B1 Topic:People & Society

US /piˈæn.ɪst/ UK /ˈpɪə.nɪst/ See IPA manual

Freq #12906

Meanings

1

noun
a person who plays the piano, especially professionally or with considerable skill

The pianist returned to the stage for a final encore.
2

noun
historical slang: a clandestine radio operator, especially an agent communicating by wireless during the Second World War

The resistance cell's pianist transmitted a coded report to London.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · a person who plays the... piano playerkeyboard player

2 noun · historical slang: a... radio operatorwireless operator

Word family

Forms pianists

Derived forms nonpianist

Related forms pianokeyboardistvirtuosoaccompanist

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

concert pianist
a pianist who performs for audiences in concerts

Noun + noun

Etymology

Borrowed from French pianiste and Italian pianista, formed from piano + an agent suffix corresponding to English -ist. The wartime radio-operator sense was covert slang, probably comparing rapid manipulation of telegraph keys with playing a keyboard.

Topics

People & Society Register & Style

External links

# pianist

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /piˈæn.ɪst/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈpɪə.nɪst/
**Frequency rank:** 12906

## Meanings
1. a person who plays the piano, especially professionally or with considerable skill
2. historical slang: a clandestine radio operator, especially an agent communicating by wireless during the Second World War

## Examples
- The pianist returned to the stage for a final encore.
- The resistance cell's pianist transmitted a coded report to London.

## Synonyms
- piano player
- keyboard player
- radio operator

## Derived Forms
- nonpianist

## Related Forms
- piano
- keyboardist
- virtuoso
- accompanist

## Roots and Affixes
- Affix: -ist - one who

## Etymology
Borrowed from French pianiste and Italian pianista, formed from piano + an agent suffix corresponding to English -ist. The wartime radio-operator sense was covert slang, probably comparing rapid manipulation of telegraph keys with playing a keyboard.

## Topics
- People & Society
- Register & Style

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