n. 1 a a woodwind double-reed instrument of treble pitch and plaintive incisive tone. b its player. 2 an organ stop with a quality resembling an oboe. oboe d'amore an oboe wth a pear-shaped bell and mellow tone, pitched a minor third below a normal oboe, commonly used in baroque music. oboist n.
[ It. oboe or F hautbois f. haut high + bois wood: d'amore = of love ]