player piano
3
6.7
- noun
- /ˈpleɪər ˈpiːənoʊ/
- Archaic
:
pianola
- Sheet music and player piano rolls are essentially the same instructions, just written in different languages.
- music of a player piano
- old-fashioned player piano
Examples
-
By the 1890s, player pianos were widely distributed in the United States.
Blog text (10) -
In the corner of the antique shop, there was a beautifully restored player piano from the 1920s.
-
"We saw this in the early days of this century, when the player piano was popular.
Academic text (2000) -
I had learned how to play the piano by watching a player piano, by slowing down the rolls and watching the keys go down.
Fiction book (1992) -
To see them gather around the player piano and sing songs of bygone years was a priceless experience.
Academic text (1997) -
The player piano deeply troubled popular music composers such as John Philip Sousa.
Blog text (10) -
At home, amplified phonographs and radios took the place of player pianos.
Blog text (20) -
As I assumed a seat, a player piano was attacking a Johann Strauss waltz, "Voices from the Vienna Woods."
Fiction book (1997) -
The room filled with music as the player piano played an old jazz tune.
-
At the party, everyone gathered around the player piano to sing along to their favorite songs.
Synonyms
1
9.7
A piano that plays by itself when you put in a roll of paper with holes
A piano that plays by itself using a paper roll with holes to move the keys
How Complex
Surface Forms
Morphology
This is a straightforward noun–noun compound in which 'player' (one that plays) modifies 'piano' to mean a piano that plays by itself. The meaning is directly compositional and follows common English compounding patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both constituent words can reasonably infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
Player piano comes from pianos that could play by themselves: a paper roll with holes turned a small machine inside the piano, and the holes moved the keys. The player part names that machine, so player piano means a piano that 'plays automatically'.