"instrument" meaning in Middle English

See instrument in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /instriu̯ˈmɛnt/, /instruˈmɛnt/, /ˈinstriu̯mɛnt/, /ˈinstrumɛnt/ Forms: instrumentes [plural], enstrement [alternative], instreument [alternative], jnstrument [alternative], ynstrument [alternative]
Etymology: Borrowed from Old French instrument, from Latin instrūmentum (“tool, device”). Etymology templates: {{bor+|enm|fro|instrument}} Borrowed from Old French instrument, {{der|enm|la|instrūmentum||tool, device}} Latin instrūmentum (“tool, device”) Head templates: {{head|enm|noun|g=|g2=|g3=|head=|sort=|var=}} instrument, {{enm-noun|instrumentes}} instrument (plural instrumentes)
  1. A tool or device used for manipulation, especially for medical and scientific uses.
    Sense id: en-instrument-enm-noun-wi5J1J8F Categories (other): Law Disambiguation of Law: 30 3 1 31 1 17 17 1
  2. A device used to produce music; a musical instrument.
    Sense id: en-instrument-enm-noun-XBjaLxCu Categories (other): Musical instruments, Tools, Weapons Disambiguation of Musical instruments: 3 35 3 4 3 11 31 9 Disambiguation of Tools: 23 33 6 7 7 10 4 9 Disambiguation of Weapons: 10 22 9 10 11 16 7 14
  3. A piece of weaponry (such as a siege engine).
    Sense id: en-instrument-enm-noun-COTIUcKC
  4. A legal document, such as a contract, deed or will.
    Sense id: en-instrument-enm-noun-74MbvQyz Categories (other): Law Disambiguation of Law: 30 3 1 31 1 17 17 1
  5. The means by which one reaches an end or effect.
    Sense id: en-instrument-enm-noun-TnAmPpoV
  6. A body part that performs a certain function; an organ.
    Sense id: en-instrument-enm-noun-8ZYj8j5H Categories (other): Body, Law, Musical instruments, Organs Disambiguation of Body: 0 0 0 0 0 54 45 0 Disambiguation of Law: 30 3 1 31 1 17 17 1 Disambiguation of Musical instruments: 3 35 3 4 3 11 31 9 Disambiguation of Organs: 8 16 4 8 4 32 18 11
  7. The human body as a whole.
    Sense id: en-instrument-enm-noun-9-ojgGsS Categories (other): Pages with entries, Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Body, Law, Musical instruments Disambiguation of Pages with entries: 1 2 1 5 0 9 0 9 1 1 1 1 21 4 1 8 2 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 5 17 5 0 0 Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 4 11 7 4 5 15 39 15 Disambiguation of Body: 0 0 0 0 0 54 45 0 Disambiguation of Law: 30 3 1 31 1 17 17 1 Disambiguation of Musical instruments: 3 35 3 4 3 11 31 9
  8. One of the five senses.
    Sense id: en-instrument-enm-noun-yGdVtBdf Categories (other): Senses Disambiguation of Senses: 5 11 5 5 6 8 3 56
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Synonyms: organe [music, entertainment, lifestyle], organum [music, entertainment, lifestyle], simphane [music, entertainment, lifestyle], symphonye [music, entertainment, lifestyle] Related terms: instrumental

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "instrument"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "instrument"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Old French instrument",
      "name": "bor+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "instrūmentum",
        "4": "",
        "5": "tool, device"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin instrūmentum (“tool, device”)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed from Old French instrument, from Latin instrūmentum (“tool, device”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "instrumentes",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "enstrement",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "instreument",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "jnstrument",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "ynstrument",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "noun",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": "",
        "var": ""
      },
      "expansion": "instrument",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "instrumentes"
      },
      "expansion": "instrument (plural instrumentes)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "word": "instrumental"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "30 3 1 31 1 17 17 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Law",
          "orig": "enm:Law",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A tool or device used for manipulation, especially for medical and scientific uses."
      ],
      "id": "en-instrument-enm-noun-wi5J1J8F",
      "links": [
        [
          "tool",
          "tool"
        ],
        [
          "device",
          "device"
        ],
        [
          "medical",
          "medical"
        ],
        [
          "scientific",
          "scientific"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "3 35 3 4 3 11 31 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Musical instruments",
          "orig": "enm:Musical instruments",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "23 33 6 7 7 10 4 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Tools",
          "orig": "enm:Tools",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "10 22 9 10 11 16 7 14",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Weapons",
          "orig": "enm:Weapons",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A device used to produce music; a musical instrument."
      ],
      "id": "en-instrument-enm-noun-XBjaLxCu",
      "links": [
        [
          "device",
          "device"
        ],
        [
          "music",
          "music"
        ],
        [
          "musical instrument",
          "musical instrument"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A piece of weaponry (such as a siege engine)."
      ],
      "id": "en-instrument-enm-noun-COTIUcKC",
      "links": [
        [
          "weaponry",
          "weaponry"
        ],
        [
          "siege engine",
          "siege engine#English"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "30 3 1 31 1 17 17 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Law",
          "orig": "enm:Law",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A legal document, such as a contract, deed or will."
      ],
      "id": "en-instrument-enm-noun-74MbvQyz",
      "links": [
        [
          "contract",
          "contract"
        ],
        [
          "deed",
          "deed"
        ],
        [
          "will",
          "will"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "The means by which one reaches an end or effect."
      ],
      "id": "en-instrument-enm-noun-TnAmPpoV",
      "links": [
        [
          "means",
          "means"
        ],
        [
          "end",
          "end"
        ],
        [
          "effect",
          "effect"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "0 0 0 0 0 54 45 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Body",
          "orig": "enm:Body",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "30 3 1 31 1 17 17 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Law",
          "orig": "enm:Law",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "3 35 3 4 3 11 31 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Musical instruments",
          "orig": "enm:Musical instruments",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "8 16 4 8 4 32 18 11",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Organs",
          "orig": "enm:Organs",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A body part that performs a certain function; an organ."
      ],
      "id": "en-instrument-enm-noun-8ZYj8j5H",
      "links": [
        [
          "body part",
          "body part"
        ],
        [
          "function",
          "function"
        ],
        [
          "organ",
          "organ"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "1 2 1 5 0 9 0 9 1 1 1 1 21 4 1 8 2 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 5 17 5 0 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "4 11 7 4 5 15 39 15",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "0 0 0 0 0 54 45 0",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Body",
          "orig": "enm:Body",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "30 3 1 31 1 17 17 1",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Law",
          "orig": "enm:Law",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "3 35 3 4 3 11 31 9",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Musical instruments",
          "orig": "enm:Musical instruments",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "The human body as a whole."
      ],
      "id": "en-instrument-enm-noun-9-ojgGsS",
      "links": [
        [
          "body",
          "body"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "5 11 5 5 6 8 3 56",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Senses",
          "orig": "enm:Senses",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "One of the five senses."
      ],
      "id": "en-instrument-enm-noun-yGdVtBdf",
      "links": [
        [
          "senses",
          "sense"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/instriu̯ˈmɛnt/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/instruˈmɛnt/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈinstriu̯mɛnt/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈinstrumɛnt/"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "topics": [
        "music",
        "entertainment",
        "lifestyle"
      ],
      "word": "organe"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "topics": [
        "music",
        "entertainment",
        "lifestyle"
      ],
      "word": "organum"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "topics": [
        "music",
        "entertainment",
        "lifestyle"
      ],
      "word": "simphane"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0",
      "topics": [
        "music",
        "entertainment",
        "lifestyle"
      ],
      "word": "symphonye"
    }
  ],
  "word": "instrument"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
    "Middle English lemmas",
    "Middle English nouns",
    "Middle English terms borrowed from Old French",
    "Middle English terms derived from Latin",
    "Middle English terms derived from Old French",
    "Pages with 13 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "enm:Body",
    "enm:Law",
    "enm:Musical instruments",
    "enm:Organs",
    "enm:Senses",
    "enm:Tools",
    "enm:Weapons"
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "instrument"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "fro",
        "3": "instrument"
      },
      "expansion": "Borrowed from Old French instrument",
      "name": "bor+"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "la",
        "3": "instrūmentum",
        "4": "",
        "5": "tool, device"
      },
      "expansion": "Latin instrūmentum (“tool, device”)",
      "name": "der"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "Borrowed from Old French instrument, from Latin instrūmentum (“tool, device”).",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "instrumentes",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "enstrement",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "instreument",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "jnstrument",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "ynstrument",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "noun",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": "",
        "var": ""
      },
      "expansion": "instrument",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "instrumentes"
      },
      "expansion": "instrument (plural instrumentes)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "instrumental"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A tool or device used for manipulation, especially for medical and scientific uses."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "tool",
          "tool"
        ],
        [
          "device",
          "device"
        ],
        [
          "medical",
          "medical"
        ],
        [
          "scientific",
          "scientific"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A device used to produce music; a musical instrument."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "device",
          "device"
        ],
        [
          "music",
          "music"
        ],
        [
          "musical instrument",
          "musical instrument"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A piece of weaponry (such as a siege engine)."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "weaponry",
          "weaponry"
        ],
        [
          "siege engine",
          "siege engine#English"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A legal document, such as a contract, deed or will."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "contract",
          "contract"
        ],
        [
          "deed",
          "deed"
        ],
        [
          "will",
          "will"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "The means by which one reaches an end or effect."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "means",
          "means"
        ],
        [
          "end",
          "end"
        ],
        [
          "effect",
          "effect"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A body part that performs a certain function; an organ."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "body part",
          "body part"
        ],
        [
          "function",
          "function"
        ],
        [
          "organ",
          "organ"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "The human body as a whole."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "body",
          "body"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "One of the five senses."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "senses",
          "sense"
        ]
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/instriu̯ˈmɛnt/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/instruˈmɛnt/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈinstriu̯mɛnt/"
    },
    {
      "ipa": "/ˈinstrumɛnt/"
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "topics": [
        "music",
        "entertainment",
        "lifestyle"
      ],
      "word": "organe"
    },
    {
      "topics": [
        "music",
        "entertainment",
        "lifestyle"
      ],
      "word": "organum"
    },
    {
      "topics": [
        "music",
        "entertainment",
        "lifestyle"
      ],
      "word": "simphane"
    },
    {
      "topics": [
        "music",
        "entertainment",
        "lifestyle"
      ],
      "word": "symphonye"
    }
  ],
  "word": "instrument"
}

Download raw JSONL data for instrument meaning in Middle English (3.0kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable Middle English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-09-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-09-02 using wiktextract (ccec6f1 and 4deed51). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.