Wed, 22 Jun 2022 09:13:48 GMT 2022-06-22T09:13:48Z <h3><span class="mw-headline" id="Etymology">Etymology</span></h3><p>From <span class="etyl"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Middle_English" class="extiw" title="w:Middle English">Middle English</a></span> <i class="Latn mention" lang="enm"><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/instrument#Middle_English" title="instrument">instrument</a></i>, from <span class="etyl"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_French" class="extiw" title="w:Old French">Old French</a></span> <i class="Latn mention" lang="fro"><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/instrument#Old_French" title="instrument">instrument</a></i>, from <span class="etyl"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latin" class="extiw" title="w:Latin">Latin</a></span> <i class="Latn mention" lang="la"><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/instrumentum#Latin" title="instrumentum">īnstrūmentum</a></i> <span class="mention-gloss-paren annotation-paren">(</span><span class="mention-gloss-double-quote">“</span><span class="mention-gloss">an implement, tool</span><span class="mention-gloss-double-quote">”</span><span class="mention-gloss-paren annotation-paren">)</span>, suffix <i class="Latn mention" lang="la"><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/-mentum#Latin" title="-mentum">-mentum</a></i>. </p><div>Noun <br></div><div><strong class="Latn headword" lang="en">instrument</strong> (<i>plural</i> <b class="Latn form-of lang-en p-form-of" lang="en"><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/instruments#English" title="instruments">instruments</a></b>) </div><ol><li>A <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/device" title="device">device</a> used to produce <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/music" title="music">music</a>. <span class="HQToggle"><a>quotations ▼</a></span><dl><dd><div class="h-usage-example"><i class="Latn mention e-example" lang="en">The violinist was a master of her <b>instrument</b>.</i></div></dd></dl> </li><li>A <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/means" title="means">means</a> or <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/agency" title="agency">agency</a> for achieving an effect. <span class="HQToggle"><a>quotations ▼</a></span></li><li>A <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/measuring" title="measuring">measuring</a> or displaying device. <dl><dd><div class="h-usage-example"><i class="Latn mention e-example" lang="en">The <b>instrument</b> detected an increase in radioactivity.</i></div></dd></dl></li><li>A <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/tool" title="tool">tool</a>, <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/implement" title="implement">implement</a> used for manipulation or measurement. <dl><dd><div class="h-usage-example"><i class="Latn mention e-example" lang="en">The dentist set down his tray of <b>instruments</b>.</i></div></dd><dd><div class="h-usage-example"><i class="Latn mention e-example" lang="en">The scientist recorded the temperature with a thermometer but wished he had a more accurate <b>instrument</b>.</i></div></dd></dl></li><li><span class="ib-brac">(</span><span class="ib-content"><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/law" title="law">law</a></span><span class="ib-brac">)</span> A legal document, such as a <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/contract" title="contract">contract</a>, <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/deed" title="deed">deed</a>, <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/trust" title="trust">trust</a>, <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mortgage" title="mortgage">mortgage</a>, <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/power" title="power">power</a>, <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/indenture" title="indenture">indenture</a>, or <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/will" title="will">will</a>. <dl><dd><div class="h-usage-example"><i class="Latn mention e-example" lang="en">A bond indenture is the <b>instrument</b> that gives a bond its value.</i></div></dd><dd><div class="h-usage-example"><i class="Latn mention e-example" lang="en">Negotiable <b>instruments</b> are the foundation of the debt markets.</i></div></dd></dl></li><li><span class="ib-brac">(</span><span class="ib-content"><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Glossary#figurative" title="Appendix:Glossary">figuratively</a></span><span class="ib-brac">)</span> A person used as a mere tool for achieving a goal. <span class="HQToggle"></span></li></ol> Info