What does didgeridoo mean?
The didgeridoo is a long wooden wind instrument traditionally played by the Aboriginal peoples of northern Australia, particularly the Yolngu people of Arnhem Land. Typically made from a eucalyptus branch naturally hollowed out by termites, it can measure up to two metres or more in length. The player vibrates the lips loosely against a mouthpiece coated with beeswax, producing a deep, continuous drone whose timbre can be shaped by the tongue, cheeks, and voice. Skilled performers use circular breathing — inhaling through the nose while expelling stored air — to sustain an unbroken tone for remarkably long periods. Traditionally accompanied by clapsticks and song in ceremonial contexts, the didgeridoo has since become a globally recognised symbol of Australian Indigenous music and appears in contemporary genres from world music to ambient and rock. For many Aboriginal communities, playing the instrument remains culturally significant, and some consider it inappropriate for women to play.
nounA long wooden wind instrument developed by the Aboriginal peoples of northern Australia, played by vibrating the lips to produce a continuous low drone.
- A long cylindrical wooden wind instrument of the Aboriginal peoples of northern Australia, traditionally made from a hollowed eucalyptus branch and played with a sustained lip-vibrated drone.
"The street performer's didgeridoo filled the plaza with its deep, resonant drone."
"He spent three years in Arnhem Land learning to play the didgeridoo from local elders."
"The album blends acoustic guitar with the low, humming drone of a didgeridoo."
Regular English plural formed by adding -s.
"The shop sold hand-painted didgeridoos imported from Australia."
Skilled players can keep the didgeridoo's drone going without stopping by breathing in through the nose while blowing out — a technique called circular breathing that takes years to master.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of didgeridoo
The word "didgeridoo" entered English in the early twentieth century and is generally believed to derive from one of the Aboriginal languages of northern Australia, though the precise source language and original meaning remain uncertain. It was originally applied by outsiders as an onomatopoeic label for the instrument's sound; the peoples who created the instrument have their own names for it in their own languages. The instrument itself has been used by Aboriginal communities of Arnhem Land for well over a thousand years.
How didgeridoo is actually used
The word refers specifically to the instrument; there is no widely accepted synonym. The term itself comes from an Australian Aboriginal language, though the exact source language and meaning are uncertain, so etymological claims about it should be treated with caution.