noun · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
/kəˈzuː/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -uː
CMU ARPABET:K AH0 Z UW1
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A simple musical instrument (a membranophone) consisting of a pipe with a hole in it, producing a buzzing sound when the player hums into it.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: gazooka
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
Synonym of keister (“anus or buttocks”).
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: US, slang
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: keister
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
To play the kazoo.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
a toy wind instrument that has a membrane that makes a sound when you hum into the mouthpiece
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: wind instrument, wind
History
Etymology
Probably onomatopoeic.
Across languages
Translations
34 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Basque:
mirlitoi
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Belarusian:
казу
(kazu)
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Bulgarian:
казу
(kazu)
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Catalan:
mirlitó
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Chinese Mandarin:
卡祖笛
(kǎzǔdí)
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Danish:
kazoo
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Dutch:
kazoo
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Esperanto:
kazuo
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Esperanto:
zumilo
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
French:
kazou
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
French:
gazou
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
French:
kazoo
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
German:
Kazoo
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Greek:
καζού
(kazoú)
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Hungarian:
kazu
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Hungarian:
zúzoló
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Irish:
casú
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Italian:
kazoo
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Japanese:
カズー
(kazū)
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Kyrgyz:
казу
(kazu)
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Macedonian:
казу
(kazu)
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Malayalam:
കസൂ
(kasū)
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Polish:
kazoo
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Polish:
mirliton
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Russian:
казу́
(kazú)
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Serbo-Croatian:
казо̀о
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Serbo-Croatian:
kazòo
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Slovak:
mirlitón
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Spanish:
mirlitón
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Spanish:
kazoo
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Swedish:
kazoo
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Tamil:
கசூ
(kacū)
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Ukrainian:
казу́
(kazú)
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
Vietnamese:
ống sáo ca-du
— a simple musical instrument consisting of a pipe with a hole in it
