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Glite Dictionary
ivory tickler

ivory tickler

9.9
A piano that a person plays using the white keys
  • noun
  • /ˈaɪvəri ˈtɪklər/
  • Archaic
translation icon : piano
  • The old ivory tickler in the corner added a unique charm to the room.

Examples

  • She spent hours at the ivory tickler, practicing her favorite classical pieces.

  • He was known as an exceptional ivory tickler at every jazz bar in town.

  • The talented ivory tickler performed beautifully at the concert.

  • Did you hear that ivory tickler at the jazz club last night?

  • She invited a few friends over to listen to her play the ivory tickler all evening.

  • As a gifted musician, he spent hours practicing on his ivory tickler in the small studio.

  • Every Saturday, the jazz band would gather to take turns playing the ivory tickler at the local cafe.

Surface Forms

ivory tickler singular
ivory ticklers plural

Morphology

ivory + tickler

The compound links 'ivory' (commonly associated with piano keys) with 'tickler' (one who tickles), forming a playful metaphor for a piano or pianist. This punny, slangy mapping gives learners a hint but is not a conventional compositional pattern, so the exact referent and slang sense are not fully predictable without exposure.

Etymology

Ivory tickler comes from old pianos that had keys made of ivory and the image of a player gently tickling those keys with their fingers to make music. So an ivory tickler means a 'piano' or a person who 'plays the piano'.