bugle

Bugle is the name of more than one thing, but it most commonly refers to a brass wind instrument and, less commonly, to a plant genus known as bugle or bugleweed. A third sense is a traditional horn used for signaling in historical contexts.

Bugle (instrument) is a valveless brass instrument, typically made of brass and ending in a flared bell. It is usually pitched in C or B-flat and possesses a simple, cylindrical bore. Because it has no valves, a bugle sounds only the notes of the harmonic series of its fundamental pitch, which constrains melodic range compared with valve instruments. First developed as a military signaling tool, the bugle evolved from the natural trumpet and has long been used to relay commands and calls. In modern practice, bugle calls such as Reveille, To the Colors, and Taps are among the best known examples, and the instrument remains emblematic of marching bands and drum and bugle corps.

Bugle (plant) refers to several species in the genus Ajuga, commonly called bugleweed. These are evergreen perennials valued as groundcovers in gardens for their dense mats of foliage and spikes of blue, purple, or white flowers. Ajuga reptans is one of the best-known species, widely cultivated for ornament and erosion control. The plant tends to spread by runners and prefers shady, moist soil, though cultivars vary in habit and leaf color.

In addition, the term bugle may appear in historical descriptions of signaling horns and in cultural references to bugle calls.