HARMONIUM

harmonium, organ, reed organ

(noun) a free-reeded instrument with a piano keyboard in which air is forced through the reeds by bellows

Source: WordNet® 3.1

Etymology

Noun

harmonium (plural harmoniums)

(music) A small keyboard instrument that consists of a series of reed pipes, which sound when one of the keys is pressed to open a valve that allows air to pass through.

Usage notes

• See Wikipedia for differences in usage between US and UK

Source: Wiktionary

Har*mo"ni*um, n. Etym: [NL. See Harmony. ]

Definition: A musical instrument, resembling a small organ and especially designed for church music, in which the tones are produced by forcing air by means of a bellows so as to cause the vibration of free metallic reeds. It is now made with one or two keyboards, and has pedals and stops.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition