Dictionary Home »
Dictionary Definitions » ocarina
ocarina
(äk′ə rē′nə)
noun
a small, simple wind instrument shaped like a sweet potato, with finger holes and a mouthpiece: it produces soft, hollow tones
Origin: It, dim. of oca, a goose < LL auca, a goose (< *avica, back-form. < L avicula, dim. of avis, bird): from its fancied resemblance in shape
See ocarina in American Heritage Dictionary 4
noun
A small terra-cotta or plastic wind instrument with finger holes, a mouthpiece, and an elongated ovoid shape.
Origin:
Origin: Italian
Origin: , from dialectal ucarenna
Origin: , diminutive of Italian oca, goose (from the fact that its mouthpiece is shaped like a goose's beak)
Origin: , from Vulgar Latin *auca
Origin: , from *avica
Origin: , from Latin avis, bird; see awi- in Indo-European roots
.
(click for a larger image)
ocarina
Learn more about ocarina
