1. Plural of ophicleide; brass wind instruments with a conical bore and keys, used primarily in orchestras and military bands during the 19th century.
Usage: musical instrument; historical; largely obsolete in modern orchestras

Examples

• The orchestra's bass section once featured ophicleides before they were replaced by tubas.
• Berlioz and other 19th-century composers wrote parts for ophicleides in their symphonies.
• Museum collections preserve several ophicleides as examples of historical brass instrument design.
• The ophicleides produced a deep, resonant tone that bridged the gap between woodwinds and modern brass.
• Military bands of the 1800s commonly included ophicleides in their instrumentation.