What does dulcian mean?
Dulcian is a rare historical name for the double bass, the large, lowest-pitched member of the violin family. Dictionaries also record an older sense for the bassoon, a double-reed woodwind instrument, and the word remains in use in continental European traditions where it can denote that instrument. A reader encountering dulcian in an old score, catalogue, or musicological text may therefore need to check the context rather than assume either meaning automatically. Its name ultimately relates to Latin dulcis, “sweet,” reflecting the traditional language of timbre and musical quality. In contemporary English, however, “double bass” and “bassoon” are the familiar terms; dulcian chiefly adds historical flavour and may identify an instrument by an older name as much as describe its construction.
nounA historical name for the double bass. The word has also been used archaically for the bassoon.
- A double bass, especially in historical usage.
- An archaic name for a bassoon.
"The old programme described the soloist as playing the dulcian, the period name for the double bass."
"The concert programme listed a soloist on dulcian, reflecting the instrument's older name for the double bass."
"A seventeenth-century inventory mentions a dulcian among the instruments stored in the musicians' chamber."
The regular plural is rarely needed because the word itself is uncommon in modern usage.
"Two dulcians were listed in the orchestra's historical inventory."
Its name reaches back to Latin dulcis, meaning “sweet,” a fitting allusion to the mellow character traditionally associated with the instrument.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does dulcian come from?
The English word passed through French dulcian and Italian dulciano from Latin dulcianum, whose name is associated with Latin dulcis, “sweet.” The term historically circulated among names for large or low-pitched instruments, helping account for both the double-bass and bassoon senses recorded in English. Its modern English use survives chiefly as a historical label for the double bass.
Related word forms
How dulcian is actually used
Dulcian is uncommon in modern English, where “double bass” and “bassoon” are normally preferred. Context is important because historical sources and continental European usage may employ the term differently.
Easily confused with dulcian
A dulcian is a historical name for the double bass or, archaically, the bassoon, whereas a dulcimer is a stringed instrument struck with hammers or small beaters.