Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English homepage

Topic: MUSIC

Date: 1400-1500
Language: Latin
Origin: valva 'part of a door'

valve

 noun
     
valve
valve [countable]
1TEM a part of a tube or pipe that opens and shuts like a door to control the flow of liquid, gas, air etc passing through it:
heart valves
valve
2APM the part on a trumpet or similar musical instrument that you press to change the sound of the note
3 British EnglishTEE a closed glass tube used to control the flow of electricity in old radios, televisions etc [= vacuum tube American English]
Definition of valve from the Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English within
the topic MUSIC
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The MUSIC
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