A tuba is a large musical instrument of the brass family which produces very low notes. It consists of a long metal tube folded round several times with a wide opening at the end. You play the tuba by blowing into it.
tuba in British English
(ˈtjuːbə)
nounWord forms: plural-bas or -bae (-biː)
1. Also called: bass horn
a valved brass instrument of bass pitch, in which the bell points upwards and the mouthpiece projects at right angles. The tube is of conical bore and the mouthpiece cup-shaped
2.
any other bass brass instrument such as the euphonium, helicon, etc
3.
a powerful reed stop on an organ
4.
a form of trumpet of ancient Rome
Word origin
Latin
tuba in American English
(ˈtubə; ˈtjubə)
nounWord forms: pluralˈtubas or ˈtubae (ˈtubi; ˈtjubi)
1.
in ancient Rome, a straight war trumpet
2.
any of a group of brass instruments with a conical bore and three to five valves, esp. the large contrabass member