basset oboe
- noun
- /ˈbæsɪt oʊˈboʊ/
- Specialized
:
oboe basset
- The orchestra featured a basset oboe to add depth to the woodwind section.
Examples
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He specialized in playing the basset oboe for Baroque music performances.
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Have you ever heard a basset oboe in a concert?
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A 19th-century composer wrote several pieces for the rare basset oboe.
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The basset oboe adds a unique depth to the orchestra.
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A 19th-century composer wrote several pieces for the rare basset oboe.
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The orchestra featured a basset oboe to add depth to the woodwind section.
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He specialized in playing the basset oboe for Baroque music performances.
Synonyms
A woodwind instrument like an oboe but sounding one octave lower
How Low
- Specialized
- Specialized
1
6.1
- Specialized
13
5.0
Surface Forms
Morphology
basset + oboe
The compound is compositionally built (modifier + instrument): if a learner knows 'oboe' and understands 'basset' as a low-pitched/variant label, they can infer it denotes a lower-pitched oboe. However, 'basset' is a rare, borrowed specialist label (not a common English adjective) so the link is not fully predictable for a B1 learner without prior exposure, making the expression only partially transparent.
Etymology
The noun basset oboe combines basset, a form of the word 'bass' meaning 'low', and oboe, the wind instrument. It was made to play lower, warmer notes than a normal oboe, so the name points to a 'low' oboe.