instrumentnoun

Instrumentnoun is a term used in linguistics to describe a noun that denotes an instrument—an object used to perform an action or bring about a result. The category emphasizes the instrumental function of the noun, rather than the agent who carries out the action or the patient who is affected by it. Common instrumentnouns include tools such as knife, hammer, wrench, broom, and stethoscope.

In semantic role theory, the instrument is one of the participant roles in events. An instrumentnoun supplies the means by which an action is accomplished. In English, instrumentnouns typically appear in prepositional phrases such as with, using, or by: “She cut the bread with a knife,” “He opened the crate using a crowbar.” The instrumentnoun can be definite or indefinite and may be interpreted in various contexts as both concrete tool and, occasionally, metaphorical means.

Cross-linguistic note: Many languages encode instrumental meaning with dedicated case markings or postpositions. In such languages, the instrumentnoun may trigger morphological changes or appear in fixed positions within sentences. Polysemy can occur when a word primarily denotes a tool but is used metaphorically to indicate method or means, as in “the instrument of change.”

Relation to other noun classes: An instrumentnoun is distinct from agent nouns (denoting doers) and patient nouns (denoting affected entities). It is also distinct from material nouns, which denote substances used as raw material rather than as the instrument in performing an action.