bassoon

Where does the word "bassoon" come from? It comes from Latin bassus, passing through Italian and French before entering English (1727).

Bassoon’s story begins in Latin: bassus meant “low, short.” The root of 'bass' and 'basso'. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Italian as basso. Carried into Italian musical vocabulary for the low register. From there it passed into French as basson by 1600s. Formed for the deep-toned woodwind instrument. It reached English by 1727 as bassoon. From Italian 'basso', low; the French 'basson' reached English with 18th-century orchestras. Today, bassoon means a low-pitched woodwind instrument played with a double reed.

1. Stage 1 · Latin · ancient bassus "low, short", the root of 'bass' and 'basso'.
2. Stage 2 · Italian · medieval basso "low", carried into Italian musical vocabulary for the low register.
3. Stage 3 · French · 1600s basson "the deep-toned woodwind instrument", formed for the deep-toned woodwind instrument.
4. Stage 4 · English · 1727 bassoon "a low-pitched double-reed woodwind instrument", from Italian 'basso', low; the French 'basson' reached English with 18th-century orchestras.