accordion
UK[əˈkɔː.di.ən]US[əˈkɔːr.di.ən]
n
a portable musical instrument with metal reeds, a keyboard, and a bellows, played by compressing and expanding it while pressing the keys or buttons.
adj
folding like the bellows of an accordion.
Morpheme Breakdown
accord
ion
accord
agreement, harmony
ion
noun suffix
Etymology
the word 'accordion' is a 19th-century formation from the german 'akkordion', which itself was derived from the italian 'accordare', meaning 'to tune'. the italian term stems from the vulgar latin 'accordare', a compound of the latin 'ad-' (to) and 'cor' (heart), literally 'to bring to heart', hence 'to be in agreement'. the instrument was named for its ability to produce harmonious chords, with the suffix '-ion' denoting it as an object or instrument. thus, the name logically connects the concept of musical harmony to the physical device that creates it.
Analysis
Structure: accord (agreement, harmony) + ion (noun suffix)
accord (from french 'accord', meaning agreement, harmony, from vulgar latin 'accordare', 'to be heart-to-heart'); ion (a noun-forming suffix of latin origin, indicating an instrument or result of an action).
Examples
the lively polka was played on a cheerful accordion.
the city council approved an accordion bus with an expandable middle section for crowded routes.
she skillfully compressed and expanded the accordion's bellows while her fingers danced across the buttons.