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English Dictionary - With Multi-Lingual Search Definitions instrumental noun  (context, uncountable, grammar) The instrumental case. (context, countable, music) A composition without lyrics. Translations:  French: instrumental(fr)m German: Instrumental-Kasus Spanish: caso instrumental(es)m adjective  Acting as an instrument; serving as a means; contributing to promote; conductive; helpful; serviceable; essential or central. He was in conducting the business. Quotations The head is not more native to the heart, The hand more to the mouth &mdash; Shakespeare, Hamlet, I,ii (Music): Pertaining to, made by, or prepared for, an instrument, especially a musical instrument; as, music, distinguished from vocal music. Quotations He defended the use of music in public worship. &mdash; Macaulay Sweet voices mix'd with sounds. &mdash; Dryden (Grammar): Applied to a case expressing means or agency"and is generally indicated in English by by or with with the objective; as, the case. This is found in Sanskrit 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. It continues to be used in Slavic languages. Etymology: From Middle English < Medieval Latin instrumentalis < instruere ("to build into, set up, construct, furnish," hence "to train") < in- ("on") + struere ("to put together, arrange, pile up, build, construct") < Proto-Indo-European Wiktionary Appendix:Proto-Indo-European roots, streu- ("to spread, extend, stretch out").        Find:   Words Starting With:   Words Ending With:   Words Containing:   Words That Match:    Translate Into:    Dutch   French   German    Italian   Spanish     Show 51015202550 results per page. Enter your search terms Submit search form   Web www.allwords.com Browse the Dictionary A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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