Whistle vs. Flute — What's the Difference?

A whistle is an instrument which produces sound from a stream of gas, most commonly air. It may be mouth-operated, or powered by air pressure, steam, or other means.

The flute is a family of musical instruments in the woodwind group. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening.

To produce a clear musical sound by forcing air through the teeth or through an aperture formed by pursing the lips.

A wind instrument made from a tube with holes that are stopped by the fingers or keys, held vertically or horizontally (in which case it is also called a transverse flute) so that the player's breath strikes a narrow edge. The modern orchestral form is a transverse flute, typically made of metal, with an elaborate set of keys.

To produce a clear, shrill, sharp musical sound by passing air over or through an opening

An ornamental vertical groove in a column.

To produce a high-pitched sound when moving swiftly through the air

A tall, narrow wine glass

To produce a high-pitched sound by the rapid movement of air through an opening or past an obstruction

Play a flute or pipe.

To emit a shrill, sharp, high-pitched cry, as some birds and other animals.

Make flutes or grooves in.

To produce by whistling

A high-pitched woodwind instrument consisting of a slender tube closed at one end with keys and finger holes on the side and an opening near the closed end across which the breath is blown. Also called transverse flute.

To summon, signal, or direct by whistling

Any of various similar reedless woodwind instruments, such as the recorder.

(Sports) To signal a rule infraction committed by (a player).

An organ stop whose flue pipe produces a flutelike tone.

A small wind instrument for making whistling sounds by means of the breath.

(Architecture) A long, usually rounded groove incised as a decorative motif on the shaft of a column, for example.

A device for making whistling sounds by means of forced air or steam

A similar groove or furrow, as in a pleated ruffle of cloth or on a piece of furniture.

A sound produced by a whistling device or by whistling through the lips.

A tall narrow wineglass, often used for champagne.

A whistling sound, as of an animal or projectile.

(Music) To play (a tune) on a flute.

A device designed to be placed in the mouth and blown, or driven by steam or some other mechanism, to make a whistling sound.

To produce in a flutelike tone.

An act of whistling.

To make flutes in (a column, for example).

A shrill, high-pitched sound made by whistling.

(Music) To play a flute.

Any high-pitched sound similar to the sound made by whistling.

To sing, whistle, or speak with a flutelike tone.

(Cockney rhyming slang) A suit (from whistle and flute).

A woodwind instrument consisting of a tube with a row of holes that produce sound through vibrations caused by air blown across the edge of the holes, often tuned by plugging one or more holes with a finger; the Western concert flute, a transverse side-blown flute of European origin.

(colloquial) The mouth and throat; so called as being the organs of whistling.

(colloquial) A recorder, also a woodwind instrument.

(ambitransitive) To make a shrill, high-pitched sound by forcing air through the mouth. To produce a whistling sound, restrictions to the flow of air are created using the teeth, tongue and lips.

A glass with a long, narrow bowl and a long stem, used for drinking wine, especially champagne.

(ambitransitive) To make a similar sound by forcing air through a musical instrument or a pipe etc.

A lengthwise groove, such as one of the lengthwise grooves on a classical column, or a groove on a cutting tool (such as a drill bit, endmill, or reamer), which helps to form both a cutting edge and a channel through which chips can escape

(intransitive) To move in such a way as to create a whistling sound.

A semicylindrical vertical groove, as in a pillar, in plaited cloth, or in a rifle barrel to cut down the weight.

(transitive) To send, signal, or call by a whistle.

A long French bread roll, baguette.

To make a kind of musical sound, or series of sounds, by forcing the breath through a small orifice formed by contracting the lips; also, to emit a similar sound, or series of notes, from the mouth or beak, as birds.

An organ stop with a flute-like sound.

To make a shrill sound with a wind or steam instrument, somewhat like that made with the lips; to blow a sharp, shrill tone.

A shuttle in weaving tapestry etc.

To sound shrill, or like a pipe; to make a sharp, shrill sound; as, a bullet whistles through the air.

A kind of flyboat; a storeship.

To form, utter, or modulate by whistling; as, to whistle a tune or an air.

(intransitive) To play on a flute.

To send, signal, or call by a whistle.

(intransitive) To make a flutelike sound.

A sharp, shrill, more or less musical sound, made by forcing the breath through a small orifice of the lips, or through or instrument which gives a similar sound; the sound used by a sportsman in calling his dogs; the shrill note of a bird; as, the sharp whistle of a boy, or of a boatswain's pipe; the blackbird's mellow whistle.

(transitive) To utter with a flutelike sound.

The shrill sound made by wind passing among trees or through crevices, or that made by bullet, or the like, passing rapidly through the air; the shrill noise (much used as a signal, etc.) made by steam or gas escaping through a small orifice, or impinging against the edge of a metallic bell or cup.

(transitive) To form flutes or channels in (as in a column, a ruffle, etc.); to cut a semicylindrical vertical groove in (as in a pillar, etc.).

An instrument in which gas or steam forced into a cavity, or against a thin edge, produces a sound more or less like that made by one who whistles through the compressed lips; as, a child's whistle; a boatswain's whistle; a steam whistle (see Steam whistle, under Steam).

A musical wind instrument, consisting of a hollow cylinder or pipe, with holes along its length, stopped by the fingers or by keys which are opened by the fingers. The modern flute is closed at the upper end, and blown with the mouth at a lateral hole.

The mouth and throat; - so called as being the organs of whistling.

A similar channel or groove made in wood or other material, esp. in plaited cloth, as in a lady's ruffle.

The sound made by something moving rapidly or by steam coming out of a small aperture

A long French breakfast roll.

The act of signalling (e.g., summoning) by whistling or blowing a whistle;

A stop in an organ, having a flutelike sound.

Acoustic device that forces air or steam against an edge or into a cavity and so produces a loud shrill sound

A kind of flyboat; a storeship.

An inexpensive fipple flute

To play on, or as on, a flute; to make a flutelike sound.

Make whistling sounds;

To play, whistle, or sing with a clear, soft note, like that of a flute.

Move with, or as with, a whistling sound;

To form flutes or channels in, as in a column, a ruffle, etc.

Utter or express by whistling;

A high-pitched woodwind instrument; a slender tube closed at one end with finger holes on one end and an opening near the closed end across which the breath is blown

Move, send, or bring as if by whistling;

A tall narrow wineglass

Make a whining, ringing, or whistling sound;

A groove or furrow in cloth etc especially the shallow concave groove on the shaft of a column

Give a signal by whistling;

Form flutes in