bagpipes
|bag-pipes|
🇺🇸
/ˈbæɡˌpaɪps/
🇬🇧
/ˈbæɡpaɪps/
(bagpipe)
pipe instrument sounded by a bag
Etymology
'bagpipe' originates from English as a compound of 'bag' + 'pipe', where 'bag' ultimately comes from Old Norse 'baggi' meaning 'sack' and 'pipe' comes from Old English 'pīpe' meaning 'pipe, tube'.
'bagpipe' changed from Middle English compounds such as 'baggepipe' or similar forms and eventually became the modern English word 'bagpipe' (plural 'bagpipes').
Initially, the term referred broadly to any pipe instrument using a bag to supply air; over time it came to denote specifically the traditional multi‑pipe instruments associated with Scotland.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a musical instrument consisting of a bag that supplies air to one or more pipes fitted with reeds; sound is produced by squeezing the bag and/or blowing, commonly associated with Scottish traditional music.
The band marched down the street playing the bagpipes.
Synonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2025/12/31 13:52