shehnai

English

Alternative forms

• shanai, shenai

Etymology

From Hindi/Urdu, from Persian شهنای (šah-nây).

Noun

shehnai (plural shehnais)

1. (music) An ancient reeded woodwind instrument from India with a long slim body and bulbous sound bowl, with or without keys.
   • 1997, Kiran Nagarkar, Cuckold, HarperCollins, published 2013, page 125:

     The next seven days the shehnais played in the Naupatkhana and every morning I offered my prayers to the founder of our dynasty […]