waterphone noun2 •An acoustic percussion instrument consisting of a resonator bowl or pan with a cylindrical neck, surrounded by rods of different lengths and diameters. Water may be added to the bowl to modify the sound.The listing for Loop 2.4.3 had promised that a waterphone would be featured. — 2009 •An instrument for detecting leaks in pipes by their sound, consisting of a rod attached to an earpiece. formswaterphones