Accordion

Pronunciation

• RP IPA: /əˈkÉ”(ɹ).di.ˌən/
• US IPA: /É™.ˈkɔɹ.di.É™n/
• Hyphenation: ac + cord + i + on

Origin

First attested in 1831. From German Akkordion, from Akkord ("harmony"), from French accord, from Old French acorder, based on Italian accordare ("to tune"). See also accord.

Full definition of accordion

Noun

1. A small, portable, keyed wind instrument, whose tones are generated by play of the wind from a squeezed bellows upon free metallic reeds.
• 1869, Mark Twain, Innocents Abroad:A disreputable accordion that had a leak somewhere and breathed louder than it squawked.
• Ambrose Bierce, Devil’s Dictionary:Accordion: an instrument in harmony with the sentiments of an assassin.
• 1922, James Joyce, Ulysses:An accordion underskirt of blue silk moirette.

Synonyms

• squeezebox

Derived terms

• accordionist
• accordion player
• button accordion
• piano accordion
• accordion file

Verb

1. (transitive, intransitive) To fold up, in the manner of an accordion
• 2000, December 29, Charles Dickinson, Qi, Still in reverse, she goosed the gas and accordioned the running board a fraction of an inch more.
• 2005, w, Someone Comes to Town, Someone Leaves Town Chapter , It accordioned down and he tugged the shirt around it so that it came free, and then he slid the front of the shirt down over her breasts, painfully aware of his erection as the fabric rustled down over her rounded belly ...
  .