1. A double-reed woodwind instrument of the Renaissance and Baroque periods, predecessor of the modern oboe.
Usage: archaic; historical; also spelled 'hautboy'

Examples

• The hautbois was a popular instrument in 17th-century French orchestras.
• Musicians of the Baroque era favored the hautbois for its warm, expressive tone.
• The hautbois gradually evolved into the modern oboe we know today.
• In period performances, ensembles often include a hautbois to achieve authentic historical sound.