WordGarden.iosoundbox
C2Pronunciation
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Meanings
Noun
the hollow part of a stringed instrument that helps amplify its sound
the part of an early phonograph where a needle's vibrations are turned into sound
Beyond the definition
The word "soundbox" usually refers to a part that helps make sound stronger. In musical instruments, it often means the hollow body of an instrument such as a guitar or violin. That space helps the vibration grow into a fuller sound. In older audio equipment, especially gramophones, a soundbox was the part that changed the needle's movement into sound. The word can also be used for a speaker box or cabinet that holds and projects sound.
Think of the wooden body of a violin or guitar: it does more than hold the strings together. It helps the sound ring out. Or picture an old gramophone, where the soundbox plays a key role in turning a record's tiny movements into music you can hear.
The term "soundbox" has been used in a few related ways, all connected to sound being carried, shaped, or made louder. At its broadest, it means a hollow part or container that helps sound resonate.
One of its best-known meanings is the resonating body of a musical instrument. In instruments such as violins, guitars, cellos, and similar stringed instruments, the soundbox is the hollow body that strengthens the vibration of the strings and gives the instrument much of its tone. Without it, the strings alone would sound much weaker.
The word also appears in the history of recorded sound. In gramophones and phonographs, a soundbox, often written as "sound-box," was the part attached to the tonearm that held the diaphragm and stylus assembly. It turned the tiny movements from the groove into audible sound, making it an essential part of early record players.
In some contexts, "soundbox" can also mean a speaker enclosure or cabinet, especially a box that contains the parts of a loudspeaker system and helps direct the sound. This use is less literary than the instrument sense, but it follows the same basic idea: a structure that helps sound come through more clearly and strongly.
So the word moves across music, old audio technology, and speaker design, but the core image stays the same. A soundbox is something hollow or enclosed that helps sound live, grow, and reach the listener.
Examples
- 1
Instrument repair
The guitar's soundbox was cracked, so the repair shop kept it for a week.
- Domain
In a string instrument, the soundbox is the hollow part that helps make the sound stronger.
- 2
Tone quality
This old lute has a deep wooden soundbox that gives the notes a warm tone.
- 3
Old phonographs
On early record players, the needle sent vibrations to a soundbox instead of an electronic speaker.
- Domain
Here, soundbox means a part of an old phonograph.
See also
Similar
- resonator
- resonance chamber
Shades of meaning
- instrument body
- resonating body
Contrast
- solid-body instrument
Used with (collocations)
- guitar soundbox
- violin soundbox
- hollow soundbox
Explore
- acoustic amplification
- sound hole
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- soundboxnoun