tin sandwich

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Meaning · English

A simple harmonica.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English

Examples

The reason that the harmonica sometimes is called a tin sandwich is that you hold it just like a sandwich.

Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “tin sandwich” mean?

A simple harmonica.

Is “tin sandwich” formal or informal?

tin sandwich is generally slang.