reed

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   a vibrator consisting of a thin strip of stiff material that vibrates to produce a tone when air streams over it

   The clarinetist fitted a new reed onto the mouthpiece.

2. 2
   noun

   A comb-like part of a beater for beating the weft when weaving.

   Coordinate term: sley

3. 3
   noun

   a musical instrument that sounds by means of a vibrating reed

4. 4
   noun

   tall woody perennial grasses with hollow slender stems especially of the genera Arundo and Phragmites

5. 5
   noun

   Any of various types of tall stiff perennial grass-like plants growing together in groups near water.

6. 6
   noun

   The hollow stem of these plants.

7. 7
   noun

   Part of an aerophone musical instrument, comprising a thin piece of wood or metal, which vibrates to produce sound when air passes through it.

8. 8
   noun

   Short for reed instrument.

Etymology

From Middle English red, reed, from Old English hrēod, from Proto-West Germanic *hreud, of uncertain origin. Akin to Saterland Frisian Rait (“reed”), West Frisian reid (“reed”), Dutch riet (“reed”), German Ried (“reed”). No cognates in North Germanic languages, but the existence of an otherwise unattested Gothic *𐌷𐍂𐌹𐌿𐌳 (*hriud) was supposed by the brothers Grimm. They also theorised that the word may have a relation to the retas mentioned in Noctes Atticae (Aulus Gellius). The measuring reed sense is the translation of Akkadian qanûm ("cane") used in the Bible and elsewhere.