Standard Lemma guide

philharmonic

adj · noun · 5 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.

  • /ˌfɪlhɑː(ɹ)ˈmɒnɪk/
  • /ˌfɪlhə(ɹ)ˈmɒnɪk/
  • /ˌfɪlə(ɹ)ˈmɒnɪk/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˌfɪlərˈmɑnɪk/
  • US: /fɪlˌ(h)ɑrˈmɑnɪk/
  • CMU ARPABET: F IH2 L HH AA2 R M AA1 N IH0 K Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

adj

Meaning 1

Appreciative of music, but especially to its performance; devoted to music.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: musical

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

A full-size symphony orchestra.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: entertainment, lifestyle, music

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: philharmonic orchestra, symphony orchestra

Antonyms: none provided

3

adjective

Meaning 3

composing or characteristic of an orchestral group

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • philharmonic players

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

adjective satellite

Meaning 4

devoted to or appreciative of music

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • the most philharmonic ear is at times deeply affected by a simple air

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

a large orchestra; can perform symphonies

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • we heard the Vienna symphony

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: symphony orchestra, symphony

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: orchestra

History

Etymology

From French philharmonique; from Italian filarmonico. By surface analysis, phil- + harmonic.

Across languages

Translations

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Catalan: filharmònic — appreciative of the performance of music
  • Finnish: filharmoninen — appreciative of the performance of music
  • French: philharmonique — appreciative of the performance of music
  • Georgian: ფილარმონიული (pilarmoniuli) — appreciative of the performance of music
  • German: philharmonisch — appreciative of the performance of music
  • Greek: φιλαρμονικός (filarmonikós) — appreciative of the performance of music
  • Hungarian: filharmonikus — appreciative of the performance of music
  • Hungarian: zenekedvelő — appreciative of the performance of music
  • Hungarian: zenebarát — appreciative of the performance of music
  • Italian: filarmonico — appreciative of the performance of music
  • Portuguese: filarmónico — appreciative of the performance of music
  • Portuguese: filarmônico — appreciative of the performance of music
  • Spanish: filarmónico — appreciative of the performance of music
  • Greek: φιλαρμονική (filarmonikí) — full-sized symphonic orchestra
Real reading context

philharmonic in complete knowledge articles