Sax
/sæks/noun
A shortened form of saxophone, a single-reed woodwind instrument.
Did you know?The word comes from French saxophone, coined in the 1840s for Adolphe Sax, so the “mystery” here is not ancient magic but a modern name that became musical shorthand.
Etymological Timeline
1840s
French
saxophone
“A new wind instrument named after its inventor, Adolphe Sax.”
1840s
French
Sax
“A surname of Germanic origin used as the inventor’s family name.”
19th Century
English
saxophone
“The musical instrument adopted into English from French.”
20th Century
English
sax
“Informal shortened form of saxophone.”
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