'Instrumental' definitions:
Definition of 'instrumental'
From: WordNet
adjective
Relating to or designed for or performed on musical instruments; "instrumental compositions"; "an instrumental ensemble" [ant: vocal]
adjective
Serving or acting as a means or aid; "instrumental in solving the crime" [syn: implemental, instrumental, subservient]
Definition of 'Instrumental'
From: GCIDE
- Instrumental \In`stru*men"tal\, a. [Cf. F. instrumental.] [1913 Webster]
- 1. Acting as an instrument; serving as a means; contributing to promote; conductive; helpful; serviceable; as, he was instrumental in conducting the business. [1913 Webster]
- The head is not more native to the heart, The hand more instrumental to the mouth. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 2. (Mus.) Pertaining to, made by, or prepared for, an instrument, esp. a musical instrument; as, instrumental music, distinguished from vocal music. "He defended the use of instrumental music in public worship." --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]
- Sweet voices mix'd with instrumental sounds. --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
- 3. (Gram.) Applied to a case expressing means or agency; as, the instrumental case. This is found in Sanskrit and Russian as a separate case, but in Greek it was merged into the dative, and in Latin into the ablative. In Old English it was a separate case, but has disappeared, leaving only a few anomalous forms. [1913 Webster]
- Instrumental errors, those errors in instrumental measurements, etc., which arise, exclusively from lack of mathematical accuracy in an instrument. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'instrumental'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- accessory,
- adjuvant,
- advantageous,
- agential,
- agentival,
- agentive,
- ancillary,
- assistant,
- assisting,
- auxiliary,
- beneficial,
- catalytic,
- concert,
- conducive,
- contributory,
- dramatico-musical,
- employable,
- facilitating,
- favoring,
- forwarding,
- fostering,
- handy,
- helpful,
- helping,
- important,
- intermediary,
- jazz,
- jazzy,
- mediating,
- mediatorial,
- ministerial,
- ministering,
- ministrant,
- nurtural,
- nutricial,
- of service,
- orchestral,
- promoting,
- rock,
- serviceable,
- serving,
- significant,
- subservient,
- subsidiary,
- supporting,
- supportive,
- swing,
- symphonic,
- syncopated,
- useful,
- utilitarian,
- valuable
Words containing 'Instrumental'
- Instrument,
- Instrumentalism,
- Instrumentalities,
- Instrumentality,
- Instrumentally,
- Instrumentalness,
- Instrumentation,
- instrumentate,
- instrumented,
- Bow instrument,
- Circular instruments,
- Instrumental errors,
- Leveling instrument,
- Meridian instrument,
- Repeating instruments,
- Transit instrument,
- Universal instrument,
- Wind instrument,
- brass instrument,
- commercial instrument,
- debt instrument,
- derivative instrument,
- drafting instrument,
- electronic instrument,
- execution of instrument,
- instrument flying,
- instrument landing,
- instrument of execution,
- instrument of punishment,
- instrument of torture,
- instrument panel,
- instrumental conditioning,
- instrumental goods,
- instrumental music,
- instrumental role,
- keyboard instrument,
- legal instrument,
- measuring instrument,
- medical instrument,
- music instrumental,
- musical instrument,
- navigational instrument,
- negotiable instrument,
- optical instrument,
- percussion instrument,
- percussive instrument,
- recording instrument,
- reed instrument,
- scientific instrument,
- sealed instrument,
- stringed instrument,
- surgical instrument,
- surveying instrument,
- surveyor's instrument,
- woodwind instrument,
- bowed stringed instrument,
- electronic musical instrument,
- test instrument vehicle,
- beating-reed instrument,
- double-reed instrument,
- free-reed instrument,
- musical instrument digital interface,
- single-reed instrument,
- Prime-vertical transit instrument,
- time-delay measuring instrument