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sound hole
noun
: an opening in the top surface of a stringed instrument (such as a violin) to enhance vibration and resonance see violin illustration
Examples of sound hole in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The function is activated by tapping inside the circle below the sound hole.
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Paul Ridden, New Atlas, 11 Oct. 2024
But the acoustic guitar of the kind that sits alongside Frisell on the couch—smallish body, light spruce top, round sound hole, dark-wood neck and sides—is a world-changing instrument in its own right.
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Paul Elie, The New Yorker, 16 May 2022
One of her eyes replaces the instrument’s sound hole — as if to suggest the possibility of a perception synthesized and expanded by love.
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Washington Post, 22 Apr. 2022
Erlewine carefully rubs the gouges in the wood that run parallel to the strings between the bridge and the sound hole, a sign of the force with which Willie plays.
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Krista Stevens, Longreads, 20 Nov. 2021
The mottled area just above the sound hole shows the effects of fifty coats of lacquer applied over 35 years.
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Krista Stevens, Longreads, 20 Nov. 2021
The air bounces off the stiff wooden back and sides and bursts out of the sound hole: a musical note.
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New York Times, 28 Nov. 2020
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Word History
First Known Use
1611, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near sound hole
Cite this Entry
“Sound hole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sound%20hole. Accessed 18 Feb. 2025.
More from Merriam-Webster on sound hole
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about sound hole
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