ˌɪnstruˈmentl adj. & n. --adj. 1 (usu. foll. by
to,
in, or in +
verbal noun)
serving as an
instrument or
means (was instrumental in
finding the money). 2 (of music) performed on instruments,
without singing (cf. VOCAL). 3
of, or arising
from, an instrument (instrumental error). 4 Gram. of or in the instrumental. --n. 1 a
piece of
music performed by instruments,
not by the
voice. 2 Gram. the case of nouns
and pronouns (and words in
grammatical agreement with them) indicating a means or instrument. øøinstrumentalist n. instrumentality n. instrumentally adv. [ME f. F f. med.L instrumentalis (as INSTRUMENT)]