tuning fork

noun

: a 2-pronged metal implement that gives a fixed tone when struck and is useful for tuning musical instruments and ascertaining standard pitch

Illustration of tuning fork

Illustration of tuning fork

Examples of tuning fork in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
But artists just serve as a tuning fork to heal, as a tuning fork to dream. — Senior Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 Nov. 2025 Remember being in a room with the holy spirit humming like a tuning fork. — Arizona Republic, AZCentral.com, 21 Sep. 2025 This quartz tuning fork responds to inertial forces and forms the heart of the GyroChip. — IEEE Spectrum, 17 Apr. 2022 More broadly, the growing interest in tools like tuning forks points to a shift toward simple, repeatable wellness habits. — Lyssanoel Frater, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tuning fork

Word History

First Known Use

1799, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tuning fork was in 1799

Rhymes for tuning fork

See All Rhymes for tuning fork

Browse Nearby Words

tuning eye
tuning fork
tuning hammer
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Tuning fork.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tuning%20fork. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

tuning fork

noun
: a metal instrument that gives a fixed tone when struck and is useful in tuning musical instruments

Medical Definition

tuning fork

noun
tun·​ing fork ˈt(y)ün-iŋ- How to pronounce tuning fork (audio)
: a 2-pronged metal implement that gives a fixed tone when struck

More from Merriam-Webster on tuning fork

Nglish: Translation of tuning fork for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about tuning fork

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