ˈzīləˌfōn also ˈzil- noun
Etymology: xyl- + -phone
1.
a. : a percussion musical instrument consisting of a series of wooden bars graduated in length to sound the musical scale, supported on belts of straw or felt, and sounded by striking with two small wooden hammers and comprising from 30 to 55 bars arranged in two rows and tuned chromatically with or without carefully tuned resonators
b. : an organ percussion stop of similar tone quality
2. : an instrument to determine the elastic properties of woods
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