a musical keyboard instrument, as the harmonium or American organ, having small metal reeds through which air is forced to produce the sound.
Origin
1850-55, Americanism
British Dictionary definitions for reed organ
reed organ
noun
1.
a wind instrument, such as the harmonium, accordion, or harmonica, in which the sound is produced by reeds, each reed producing one note only
2.
a type of pipe organ, such as the regal, in which all the pipes are fitted with reeds
Encyclopedia Article for reed organ
any keyboard instrument sounded by vibration of metal reeds under wind pressure. "Reed organ" commonly refers to instruments having free reeds (vibrating through a slot with close tolerance) and no pipes.
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