ZY-lo-fohn
XYLOPHONE A percussion instrument with wooden bars struck by mallets to produce musical notes.
24
Points in Scrabble
Base tile values • No multipliers applied
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A xylophone is a percussion instrument consisting of a series of wooden bars of graduated lengths, arranged like a keyboard. When struck with mallets, each bar produces a different musical pitch. The instrument belongs to the idiophone family, where sound is produced by the vibration of the instrument itself.
Modern xylophones often include resonator tubes beneath each bar to amplify the sound. Professional instruments may have bars made from rosewood or synthetic materials, with the pitch determined by the bar's length, thickness, and density.
In word games, XYLOPHONE is notable as one of the longest common words starting with X. While its 9-letter length can make placement challenging, the familiar spelling and high-value X make it a desirable play when board space permits.
The xylophone has variations worldwide, from the African marimba to the Indonesian gamelan. In Western orchestras, it provides bright, penetrating tones often used for special effects or to add sparkle to the overall sound. Children's toy xylophones have introduced millions to making music.
The word 'xylophone' comes from Greek roots: 'xylon' meaning 'wood' and 'phone' meaning 'sound' or 'voice.' It was coined in the 1860s when the instrument was introduced to Western orchestras. The Greek naming reflects the scholarly tradition of using classical roots for musical terminology.
Words with similar meaning
MARIMBA
Similar but with resonators
VIBRAPHONE
Metal bar variant
GLOCKENSPIEL
Metal bar instrument
Words with opposite meaning
DRUM
Membrane percussion
CYMBAL
Metal disc percussion
Plural Form
xylophones
Related Terms
Perform on the instrument
Sticks for striking bars
Children's version
Total base points: 24 (Scrabble)
Vowels: 3 | Consonants: 6
Other high-scoring 9-letter words (Scrabble)
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"The xylophone solo added a bright, cheerful quality to the symphony."
"Children love playing simple melodies on their colorful toy xylophone."
"Scoring XYLOPHONE across two triple word scores would be a game-winning play."
The xylophone bridges cultures as one of humanity's most universal instruments. From African villages to symphony halls, its simple principle - strike wood, make music - has created countless musical traditions. In education, toy xylophones often provide children's first experience with pitched instruments.
Practice unscrambling letters to find more high-scoring words like XYLOPHONE