saxophone

Where does the word "saxophone" come from? It comes from French Sax, passing through French before entering English (1850s).

Saxophone’s story begins in French: Sax meant “a family name.” Adolphe Sax was born in 1814 at Dinant in Belgium, son of an instrument maker. Within French, it grew into saxophone by 1846. Sax + Greek phōnē 'voice, sound'; he patented the instrument in Paris in 1846. It reached English by 1850s as saxophone. First a military-band instrument, it became the voice of jazz from the 1920s through players like Coleman Hawkins and later Charlie Parker. Today, saxophone means a brass wind instrument with a single reed, common in jazz.

1. Stage 1 · French · 1814 Sax "a family name", Adolphe Sax was born in 1814 at Dinant in Belgium, son of an instrument maker.
2. Stage 2 · French · 1846 saxophone "Sax's instrument", Sax + Greek phōnē 'voice, sound'; he patented the instrument in Paris in 1846.
3. Stage 3 · English · 1850s saxophone "reed wind instrument", first a military-band instrument, it became the voice of jazz from the 1920s through players like Coleman Hawkins and later Charlie Parker.