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 water across an opening. According to the instrument classification of Hornbostel-Sachs, flutes are Categorized as edge-blown aerophones. A musician who plays the flute can be Referred to as a flute player, flautist, flutist or, less commonly, fluter or flutenist.

Flutes are the earliest extant musical instruments, as paleolithic instruments with hand-bored holes have been found. A number of flutes dating to about 43,000 to 35,000 years ago have been found in the Swabian Jura region of present-day Germany. Reviews These flutes demonstrate that a developed musical tradition existed from the earliest period of modern human presence in Europe.